In From the Cold
by nowyouseemenowyoudont
Summary: AU. Kagome is shocked to find someone not quite human lying unconscious in the snow, but that won't stop her from taking them in.
1. An Unexpected Gift

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and make no profit from this work of fiction.

A/N: This was written back on January 1st 2011 for the brief period that the LJ community Ebony Silks stirred into life again, a cut version of this was posted to that community

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Yawning hugely, Kagome padded across the wooden floorboards of her open plan apartment to the window that overlooked the street. In the cold, the panes were speckled with frost that curled in pretty patterns. Fumbling fingers filled the kettle with water and put it to the boil as she stifled another huge yawn behind her pyjama sleeve.

Stretching in a feline manner, she ran a hand through her sleep mussed hair as clear blue eyes gazed appreciatively out of the window. Apartments in Tokyo were expensive, and even her tiny flat had a rather heady rent that would have made living there almost impossible if not for this view. On days like today, when snow had fallen overnight and diffused the grime and dirt of the city under a festive blanket of pure white, the view from this particular window over her sink was about as glorious as she could ask. The window above her futon, similarly provided an awe inspiring view of the beautiful sunsets over the Tokyo skyline, when the bustling city was speckled with oranges, pinks and purples.

Today, the permission tree outside her window in the little garden had donned a white coat and became just as picturesque as it was in full bloom. The small patch of garden right outside her window was as glorious in summer as it was beautiful and elegant in winter.

It was Christmas, and she knew that most of her friends were spending the day snuggling with their partners. Miroku, for one, had always been a genius at exploiting the chill of the season to garner some close and generally heated contact with members of the fairer sex. Unfortunately, the only dating options Kagome had available to her were the over amorous advances of a certain wolf-like next door neighbour. Kouga was a lovely man who was valiantly chivalrous and always offering to help her with odd jobs, but his repeated invasions of her personal space made him impossible to put up with. And she didn't want to have to put up with anyone; she wanted to _want_ somebody. Not to mention, she didn't think Kouga deserved a half-hearted relationship from her.

Shaking her head to disperse the negative and faintly depressing thoughts, Kagome moved to grab the teabags from their cupboard and froze as something caught her eye. Skidding across the kitchen in her mismatched socks, she peered out of the window cautiously.

Yes. There was definitely a snow angel sprawled in the street. Or at least the person might have been making one... before they'd... fallen asleep?

Indeed, there was a figure in a large black trench coat sprawled face down in the snow beyond the picket fence of her miniature garden.

Kagome's conscience chose that moment to pipe up. _Are they okay_?

Hastily donning her coat over her sheep speckled pyjamas and jamming her feet into wellington boots that were two sizes too big, Kagome's fumbling fingers managed to unlock the door and she sprinted across the street.

Skidding to a stop in front of the fallen person, she belatedly realised that it was a man. His long spun silver hair had disconcerted her for a moment but now, up close, the angle of his jaw line exuded a masculine beauty. The markings, decorating his forehead and his cheekbones were entrancing, and before she knew it her littlest finger was tracing the curve of the eggshell blue crescent moon on his forehead.

He was ethereally beautiful.

_I guess I was a good girl this year_, she mused idly.

Magenta eyelids fluttered and she squeaked as his eyes opened to reveal beautiful golden irises with slitted pupils, a clawed hand shot out and gripped her arm with crushing pressure. They gazed at each other for an immeasurable moment, before he slowly slumped back into unconsciousness. As his head lowered onto her knee she got the impression that he was fighting the lure of sleep with all that he had, but he was powerless to stop the seductive sway of sleep.

"What are you?" she whispered as she carefully held his head in her lap, stroking his long hair back from his brow.

Santa had certainly delivered her something spectacular this year...

Yet, as she eyed the distance between them and her front door, she thought that she'd have liked her present better if it had been delivered straight to her door. How was she supposed to haul a man twice her size up the steps to her front door anyway?

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed this enough to review!


	2. Safe Place

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and make no profit from this work of fiction.

A/N: This was written back on January 15th 2011 for the brief period that the LJ community Ebony Silks stirred into life again.

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Cradling a cup of tea beneath her chin, Kagome stared pensively at her little Christmas gift as he slept soundlessly on her futon. If she'd found any other stranger lying in the middle of the street half buried in snow, she would have called an ambulance and left it at that. But this creature was not human, that much was certain, and she hadn't wanted to relinquish him, however selfish that might be.

That didn't mean she wasn't worrying about her unexpected visitor, to the contrary she was knelt beside him, alternatively taking his temperature and checking that he was still breathing. Every now and then, even though she knew she was infringing on his personal space, she found herself stroking his hair back from his brow as she checked for a fever, lingering more than was normal.

Blue eyes widened and his muscled arm twitched beneath the blankets and she leaned forwards, placing her tea cup onto the table. Her hair fell forwards in a dark curtain as she leaned over him. His brow twitched and magenta eyelids fluttered.

Once again, she found herself captured in the enrapturing gaze of his golden eyes, the slitted pupils confirming that he definitely wasn't human. His gaze flitted around her tiny apartment warily and she felt the need to reassure him.

"You're safe here," she murmured, "I promise."

Eyes narrowed cautiously and she _eeped_ as he grabbed her wrist and brought her down towards him on the futon. Her free hand shot out to prevent her from falling onto the male on the futon and she watched in mute confusion as he inspected her wrist. A shiver shot down her spine as he inhaled along the skin of her wrist and her heart stuttered as he licked teasingly down the veins visible in her wrist.

Normally, if anyone had started to lap at her wrist sleepily like a languid cat with a platter of milk she wouldn't have been so calm about it, but she couldn't bring herself to pull away or break eye contact with those intense golden orbs.

And then his rich baritone voice rumbled against the skin of her arm. "I believe you."

Stunned into absolute stillness, she merely watched as he slumped slowly back into unconsciousness and she quickly grabbed at his broad shoulder.

"Is there anything you need?" she demanded, frazzled nerves getting the best of her.

Lethargically, he examined wide panicked eyes and her overall frazzled demeanour before yawning. "Rest... safety."

And his eyes slumped shut and he was gone again. Lost once more into the world of sleep.

She stared at his angelic demeanour in the half-light of the biting winter's day for a long while, watching the rhythmic contractions of his powerful chest as he breathed deeply. Eventually, she fell back onto her bottom on the wooden floor and hugged her knees to her chest. Well, he hadn't been very informative. But at least she felt less panicked about keeping him in her apartment as opposed to taking him to a hospital.

"But that still leaves the question," she mused, idly tracing the curve of his crescent moon once again, "Where am I supposed to sleep?"

***

The long shadows of a winter's evening greeted him as he opened his eyes after his long recuperative sleep. Breathing in deeply through his nose, his tensed muscles relaxing as he let the scent of unthreatening human woman drift over him. She smelt contented too and a little panicked but not scared. That was strange; she'd seen him quite clearly and should have noted the markers that set him apart from her kind. Most humans would be wary; she seemed to have disregarded it completely. He was both miffed and comforted by that fact.

Her scent saturated him intensely, clinging to his clothes and hair and even his skin. It was unpolluted by the usual perfumes human women generally employed. But he found her natural scent was pleasant and he enjoyed it clinging to his skin in such a way. The more primal animalistic part of him reared its head and he sat up woodenly in the futon to look around for the girl.

She was beside him in a low rocking chair with her head slumped back and her neck at a potentially painful angle. He wanted his scent to saturate her skin and hair right now, this clueless human woman was his protector and his to protect and so the instinct raged to claim her as she had him.

The easiest way, the one that he was most partial to, was also one that would save her a painful neck ache in the morning, and that was what he used to rationalise as he crouched next to the rocking chair. Ever so gently, making sure not to jostle the sleeping woman, he lifted her into her arms and carried her back to the futon.

Once there, he curled around her and drew the blanket over them both, revelling in the comfort of close contact as he nuzzled into her hair. She'd saved his life and arranging comfortable sleeping conditions for her seemed like the least that he could do. She might have some questions in the morning, but, as she snuggled into his warmth, he couldn't find it in him to care.

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed this enough to review!


	3. Bolthole

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and make no profit from this work of fiction.

A/N: This was originally posted on dokuga_contest on February 24th for the prompt _Pajama_, or, as I call them, _Pyjama_.

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Slowly fighting her way from the almost inescapable lull of slumber, Kagome grumbled low in her throat, refusing to open her eyes just yet. Light was streaming into her apartment and she could see it red behind her eyelids, shaking the last vestiges of sleep from her weary shoulders. She was encompassed in a glorious warmth that she was reluctant to part with, but, unfortunately, she couldn't afford to lounge around in bed all day.

One blue eye opened soporifically, and examined the warmth she was nestled against. When, upon further inspection, she realised it was a body, her other eye opened and she slowly sat up in an attempt not to jostle her bed-mate. The male with long silver hair made a grumbling noise as she disentangled herself from him, but, before she could make a break for it, his arms wound around her waist. Clapping her hands over her mouth to muffle the instinctive 'eep' of protest, she watched as the angelic looking male snuggled into her lap.

Hitting the side of her head gently with her fist, she hastily recalled the events of yesterday. This male, this not-so-human male, had been unconscious in the snow outside her apartment and so she'd let him recuperate in her bed. However, she really didn't remember joining the veritable Adonis in her bed.

As she panicked silently, he nuzzled his head into her stomach, nosing her pyjama shirt to one side and pressing his cheek against her bare tummy. Hesitantly, she peeled back her duvet and sighed in relief when she realised he was still fully clothed. The dark blue hakama and white kosode were wrinkled from his snoozing and she smoothed her fingers along the sleeve of his kosode absently. Glancing back to his face, she was startled to find that his warm golden eyes were open, slitted black pupils trained on her face intently.

"Hi," she offered, somewhat lamely, running her fingers through her bed head in an attempt at taming the tangles. His hair still looked like spun silk and though it was lightly rumpled, it was still as glossy as ever.

He rose from her lap slowly, gaze never leaving her face and stretched in an almost feline manner, yawning in such a way that he exposed glistening white fangs. He blinked at her languidly, revealing his magenta eyelids and the blue crescent moon on his forehead crinkled when he frowned at her.

"You are..." he inhaled deeply and prowled closer to her on the futon, shamelessly invading her personal space, "confused," he finished, speaking directly into her ear. His voice was low and seductive and his breath against her neck tickled.

"Did you move me into the bed?" she asked hesitantly, attempting to distance herself by pressing her palms to his chest. But he was built like a rock and impossible to move regardless of how much force she exerted.

"Hnn..." he inhaled along her throat, "sleeping in that chair... you would not have woken up refreshed."

"Um..." she didn't know quite what to say to that, so she settled with, "thank you?" It sounded like a question even to her own ears.

"You are very welcome," he pulled back from her and ran a clawed hand through her hair. In the light of her apartment he was almost glowing; eerie, majestic and enthralling. Non human. Other.

"W-what are you?" she asked, heart beating madly in her chest even as she asked him that. Would he laugh at her? Tell her it was makeup and contact lenses? Except... she knew it wasn't.

The gold eyes narrowed speculatively and she was struck by how long his lashes were, casting shadows across his pale cheekbones. A callused palm cupped her cheek gently, "I am Sesshoumaru."

What a name. She gazed at him, bewildered and highly aware that he was avoiding the question. Then, her ill-timed stomach put in a growl of hunger and he flattened his other hand against the bare skin of her belly.

"And you are hungry," he said casually.

She blushed and got out of the futon hurriedly, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "I'm gonna eat breakfast... do you want anything?"

Those intense gold eyes of his looked her over from head to toe. "I want to know your name."

Kagome blinked and smiled bashfully. "I'm Kagome."

"Then, eat, Kagome."

As she pottered around in the kitchen, he leant against the far wall and watched intently. When the toaster popped he was beside it in an instant, so fast she hadn't seen him move and she watched dumbly as he glared at the contraption.

"Sesshoumaru?" she ventured tentatively.

His eyes slanted in her direction. "Humans are strange creatures with even stranger contraptions."

Gulping, she scooted past him and collected her toast, wondering if he'd realised that in that one sentence he'd distanced himself from the human race entirely.

When she brought milk from the fridge he appeared to be completely wrong footed and snatched the carton away from her.

"This isn't human milk," he pointed out.

"I know," she said carefully, holding out a hand for the carton, "It's cow milk."

"I do not know what this cow is, but surely humans should drink human milk? And even then only the young should drink it?" he asked, looking perturbed.

Kagome took the carton from him and poured some into her tea. "Babies do drink their mother's milk," she explained with a shrug, "and adults drink cow's milk."

Sesshoumaru's lower lip curled with distaste as she sipped at her tea. "Humans are backwards," he proclaimed.

"If humans are backwards, then what are you?" she asked lightly, wondering if, this time, he'd actually tell her.

His full lips pursed, and she took that as a 'no comment' as she finished off her toast. "I'm going to wash up," she said, pointing at him sternly, "You, stay here."

A silver eyebrow was raised. "Another human custom?"

She turned her nose up at him primly. "I don't know about you, but humans require privacy while bathing," she informed him prudishly, "Deal with it," she muttered, grabbing her towel and heading to the bathroom.

The lock clicked into place behind her and he smiled at her naivety. If he'd really wanted to gain access to that room, a locked door wouldn't even slow him down.

Meantime, he walked over to her little window and peered outside. He was fairly certain he wasn't being pursued, but what he couldn't fathom was why. Up until Kagome had taken him in they'd been hot on his trail, ready to rip out his heart.

Nobody lingered on the street empty street except a colony of ants and no malicious aura could be detected...

And then he caught glimpse of a small portrait on her window ledge, of a younger Kagome dressed in Miko robes stood in front of a shrine with an old man in traditional robes.

Kagome was a Miko?

He inhaled deeply, spreading his awareness to seek out any tell tale purity sparking in the air. His youki was immediately enveloped by the overhanging cloud of purity that was so dense he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it. The little woman's reiki was so immense that the residual power in this little apartment was enough to cloak his very presence. It was also, he realised bemusedly, dampening his senses slightly. Both potent and subtle it simultaneously overpowered his youki and pleaded innocence. He wrinkled his nose.

His pursuers would be effectively blinded.

His lips curled into a smug smirk. It looked like Kagome had become his bolthole.

0-0-0

When Kagome exited the bathroom, she was frazzled, and nearly walking into a hovering Sesshoumaru on her way out of the bathroom was not helping matters. She'd hoped that a shower might calm her nerves, but frankly, she was just as highly strung now as she had been before she'd gone in. Her work clothes had helped construct a facade of normality but Sesshoumaru's ethereal appearance had crumbled it.

Sighing, she found her handbag and pushed a brush through her hair, all under the watchful eyes of Sesshoumaru.

Once again, she squared her shoulders and raised her blue gaze to clash with his golden gaze. "What are you?" she asked again, slowly, doggedly.

Sesshoumaru stepped forward and stole her comb, resuming the brushing for her with a patient air.

If you tell me to leave this house... I am dead," he told her truthfully, watching her shoulders tense, "you weren't lying yesterday, when you said I was safe. This apartment is possibly the safest place in the world for me."

Kagome peered up into his face, trying to ascertain from his faraway expression whether he was lying or not. For some unknown reason she trusted him. Perhaps it was the pleading note he injected into his tone that made him seem sincere. Even when his claws ghosted close to her neck as he wound her scarf around her throat gently, she trusted him.

Exhaling in a sigh, she walked over to the _genkan_ and slipped on her shoes. "I'll trust you, Sesshoumaru," she looked at him over her shoulder as she opened the door to leave, "I hope that you can eventually trust me too."

Golden eyes clouded as he caught onto her meaning and he bowed humbly to her in a movement that she somehow found startlingly significant. She assumed it was because Sesshoumaru didn't look like the kind of being who would bow to anyone.

Closing the door behind her, she ducked her face into her scarf as the wind bit at her exposed skin. Walking slowly down the steps and out into the street, she glanced back at her apartment, and saw him framed by her window looking content and benevolent.

Smiling softly, she turned and walked away, hoping that, against all odds, she hadn't made a mistake.

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed this enough to review!


	4. Delaying Tactics

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

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Drawing back from the window, paranoid though he'd found sanctuary in Kagome's home, Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. Though with her absence the spiritual energy shrouding the apartment lessened somewhat, the latent reiyouku left behind was more than enough to provide a blanket of security. Especially seeing as his youki had been severely depleted during his timely escape.

Bare feet padded across the wooden floorboards in Kagome's tiny apartment. The golden cat on her desk taunted him with its slit-like eyes and he curiously batted at the upraised paw, pursing his lips when it moved back and forth enthusiastically. Ridiculous.

There were nick-knacks all over the shelves in Kagome's little apartment. Useless things, bamboozling things, things that held obvious sentimental value. It had been a while since his last visit to the human realm; the contraptions that littered Kagome's home were unintelligible to him. Not that he cared particularly; humans were a strange species. It was best to leave them to their own devices.

Absent fingertips rubbed at his shoulder, unerringly seeking out the mark that had only recently been branded into his flesh. Though nothing more than a mild nuisance, it was a sting to his pride that it had been placed upon his skin at all.

Bare feet carried him across hardwood floors and he gracefully settled onto the hard floor. Folding his legs, he rested his hands on his thighs and closed his eyes. Meditation, he hoped, would help him decide what his next move would be. Fastidious, Sesshoumaru preferred to always have a plan.

Magenta eyelids, which had only just closed, sprung open as one of the woman's contraptions launched a tiny bird out of it and made an insufferable noise for a moment. Bemused golden eyes watched as the tiny bird retreated back through the little door back inside the contraption. If it thought it would be safe in there, it was sorely mistaken. Dubious eyes watched intently for a few moments before his eyes closed wearily. Apparently the little bird had decided not to chance a reappearance. A wise choice.

Collecting his thoughts once again, Sesshoumaru relaxed himself. The attack had been a surprise, a bolt from the blue, and now his carefully constructed contingency plans lay in tatters. He had nothing. His youki was being subdued, he'd fled his home, he was hiding behind the skirt of a priestess.

Sesshoumaru's youki spiked in annoyance. How he loathed improvisation.

Though this bolt hole wasn't to his satisfaction, it would be a good place to regroup and decide his next steps.

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Skipping up the staircase to her apartment door with a brown paper bag of taiyaki in one hand, Kagome hummed a cheerfully out of tune song under her breath as she juggled her purchases trying to fit the key into her door.

Unfortunately, her dashing houseguest didn't help her into the apartment. Incredibly unfortunately, her neighbour was only too happy to help her. Pasting a grateful smile on her face as he took the shopping out of her hands, she finally managed to put the key into the lock.

"Thanks," she murmured.

"No problem," Kouga smiled winningly down at her, handing the shopping bags back after she held out her hand in summons. "Did you have a good Christmas?"

"Yeah, you?" Kagome blinked up at the handsome male vacantly.

"I noticed you had a guest," he pried smoothly.

Baffled, Kagome briefly tried to figure out how, exactly, he'd seen her exotic house guest. A crease appeared between her eyebrows as she wondered exactly how much of Sesshoumaru her friendly neighbour had seen. Did Kouga suspect that Sesshoumaru was something other than human?

"An old friend," she answered vaguely, a wan smile straining the muscles in her face. Thankfully, with the key in the lock, she was able to open her door slightly and half hide behind it. "Well, thanks!"

And the door shut on the blue eyed male with a resounding click. With a sigh, she leant her forehead against the wood, guilt immediately stirring in her belly as she reflected on how rude she had been to her helpful neighbour.

"Kagome."

With an _eep_, she spun on her heels to face Sesshoumaru who had gotten far too close far too silently for her fragile nerves. Pressing a hand to her hummingbird heart, Kagome met Sesshoumaru's dark gaze.

"Sesshoumaru?"

There was a moment's pause. Slowly and deliberately, Sesshoumaru raised one clawed hand and ever so gently brushed the backs of his knuckles across Kagome's lips. Blue eyes widened as her breath escaped in a whoosh, the expression on his exquisite face enough to make her knees buckle.

"Sesshoumaru?" she repeated, mortified by the husky note to her voice. Frozen stiff, she was left feeling completely bereft as the cuckoo clock on her wall snapped him from whatever trance he seemed to be in. He snarled at it, the sound so inhuman and feral that she recoiled.

With a low bow he stepped away from Kagome and leant against the far wall of her apartment as if attempting to put as much distance between them as possible.

"I did not mean to startle you," he murmured, eyes drooping to half mast indolently.

Hands clenched into fists, Kagome very slowly moved away from her door, feeling as if she were trapped in a room with a wild beast. He'd been about to do _something_, she was sure. But, considering the fact that she didn't know what he was, she reasoned that he could have been about to do anything. And why on earth did that send the butterflies in her stomach into a tizzy? She was in a confined space with something not human; the sane reaction was not to melt into a hormonal puddle.

Shaking her head, loose strands of her hair slapped her cheeks and she breathed out slowly to collect herself. Gathering the treat she dropped she sang, "Special delivery!"

She faltered under his blank stare but she rallied. "I brought you taiyaki since I thought you'd be hungry," she continued chirpily, holding out the paper bag she'd dropped to the floor.

Golden eyes fixed on the proffered offering and he cautiously accepted it, holding it between two claw tips at arm's length as if it might bite. Kagome snorted. If anyone would be doing any biting, it would be him. He had an impressive set of vampire-esque fangs on him. She repressed a shudder. There was no way he was a vampire.

She took the bag from his grasp and fished a still-warm pastry out. Pulling the fish's head off she pressed it to his lips. He looked at her like she'd just dribbled on his immaculate kimono.

"Eat it," she commanded tersely.

A silver brow arched at her tone but he parted his lips nonetheless. She eeped as his fangs gently nipped at her fingertips and she yanked her hand away. A speculative gleam in his eyes, Sesshoumaru chewed slowly. He appeared to deliberate for a moment.

"More," he demanded imperiously.

Clamping down on the urge to roll her eyes, she held out the bag. Sesshoumaru took her wrist captive and tugged her closer. Bemusedly, she watched as he licked residual crumbs and bean paste from her fingers with a content expression playing across his face.

When he decided that she no longer retained any of his snack he released her, rummaging in the paper bag for more. He seemed pleased that there were a few more; though she could only tell by the minute crinkling of the corners of his eyes.

"Greedy," she accused, though her heart beat an unsteady rhythm. His tongue was sinfully agile.

"Thorough," he corrected glibly.

She watched him devour the treats slowly, mollified slightly when he insisted she have one to herself. He ate each bite slowly, deliberately. He savoured each taste. She'd never seen anyone eat quite like that before. His hooded eyes and appreciate sighs made her think of sex.

Thought processes screeched to a halt and she hastily backtracked, taking refuge in a bite of her own snack. Carefully, she leaned in across the coffee table and met his gaze as he finished his last bite.

"So..." she murmured, expression astute, "will you tell me what you are now?" she hedged.

Magenta eyelids fluttered closed. A sigh filled the space between them as Sesshoumaru relaxed his perfect seiza just a little. "I have trusted you, Kagome, to give me safe harbour."

Kagome's eyebrows drew together, forming a slight crease.

"I would ask for your trust in return," he continued baldly.

Biting her bottom lip, Kagome wondered why he already had it.

"And, I would ask for a favour."

Kagome's back straightened and a sharp blue eyed gaze flickered to his face. His eyes were still closed. Expression impassive.

"And what might that be?"

Eyes opened, staring into hers beseechingly even as his body remained inexpressive. "I need time and... your patience."

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A/N: Originally posted to dokuga_contest for the prompt _Special Delivery_ and placed 1st.

I hope you enjoyed the update, if you did then drop me a review. Thanks for reading!


	5. Hair's Breadth

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Wary golden eyes watched as Kagome slid back the door of her closet. Her entire upper body was swallowed by the built in wardrobe and Sesshoumaru arched a silver brow as her legs flailed awkwardly. After a short scuffle, Kagome reappeared with a rolled up futon and a triumphant expression.

A highly sceptical Sesshoumaru watched dully as she rolled the futon out next to her raised futon and laid out a blanket and a pillow. "There we go," she cheered, patting the futon invitingly.

Sesshoumaru remained unconvinced. "I assume that is where you will be sleeping?"

Expression souring, Kagome crossed her arms firmly under her breasts. "You asked for time and my patience, you did not demand a bed, mister."

Narrowed eyes and pursed lips had no affect on her indignant self-righteousness, so Sesshoumaru attempted a compromise. "Why can I not share the raised futon with you?"

Kagome's cheeks reddened at the suggestion and she shook her head sharply, her hair slapping her cheeks. "Nu-Uh, I barely know you, there is no way you are sharing my bed."

Sesshoumaru refrained from mentioning that she had no problems with letting him stay in her home. With a sigh, he inspected his sleeping arrangements. In his home, he slept on a futon much like this one, but it was _his_ futon and not some grubby hand-me-down that had been stored in a cupboard for goodness knows how long. And her bed was so much more inviting.

"Very well, but you will air it," he demanded snootily. Kagome rolled her eyes at his high handedness but acquiesced anyway. He had a point; she wouldn't want to sleep on something so musty either.

When she returned from her trip to the tiny patch of garden at the front of her apartment sans the futon, Kagome was a little baffled to find Sesshoumaru glaring at her eclectic cuckoo clock as if it had done him a grievance. The clock itself was simply hung there, innocent and inanimate as always. It had been a cute find when she'd gone shopping in one of the markets and though strapped for cash at the time, her friend had bought it for her birthday.

"Are you okay?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes snapped back to her, eyebrows slanting down irately. "This bird in your time piece insists on taunting me each hour," he told her.

"It's a cuckoo clock," she told him, voice flat as she was caught between confusion and hysterical laughter, "the cuckoo isn't mocking you, it is mechanised."

Flat golden eyes met twinkling blue ones. "That is absurd, why would anyone want a mechanised bird in their time piece?" he queried, apparently mystified.

Turning her back on him to hide her eye-roll, Kagome made her way into the kitchen. "Because it's cute, that's why," she quipped.

The silver-haired interloper looked personally offended by the term and glowered at the cuckoo clock darkly. Kagome dismissed him, fussing with her pots and pans as she started the dinner preparations.

"What do you want for dinner?" she asked distractedly as she peered into the fridge.

"Meat," he answered after considering for a moment.

A soft snort was issued. "You sound like my brother. Wanna give me a hand?"

Sesshoumaru's lip curled. "Normally, I have servants to do such menial tasks for me."

Kagome frowned at him. "Yeah, well I'm not your servant." She sighed, recalling his bewilderment at human idiosyncrasies and modern machines. "Why don't you have a bath instead?" she suggested, leading him into the bathroom and showing him how to operate the bathtub. Sesshoumaru seemed to be a little impressed with modern plumbing; unlike most other things he'd been introduced to he did not immediately dub it 'ridiculous'.

Retreating into her kitchen she busied herself with cooking in order to take her mind off the naked male in her bathroom. The numerous finger-slices belayed her inability to vanquish him entirely, but she kept her daydreaming to a minimum.

Firmly, she decided that it was ridiculous to fantasise about someone when you didn't even know what they were. But a little ever so devil-may-care voice in her mind smoothly interjected that, because it was only fantasising, it was fine. She snorted; apparently indecisiveness was her new affliction.

Wiping the counter down after she'd finished the prep, Kagome shot a perturbed glance in the direction of the bathroom. He'd been in there an awfully long time. Was he okay?

Belatedly, she realised she hadn't given him any clean clothes and quickly ransacked her drawers for an old pair of Souta's trousers and an old blue shirt that had once belonged to her father. Not of the fine quality of his hakama and haori, but at least they were clean. Clutching them to her chest, she knocked gently on the door and froze when it swung inwards. He hadn't locked it and she was now being treated to Sesshoumaru's sumptuous silhouette through the shower curtain.

"Um..." she cursed the squeakiness of her tone as she toed the doorway nervously. "I brought you clean clothes and I can wash yours for you if you'd like."

"Thank you," he called over the sound of the shower. His voice was deep and sounded satiated. She felt her cheeks burn as she set the clothes down on the shelf by the sink and gathered his clothes up.

Carefully she backed out of the room, watching the shower curtain dreamily as her mind supplied the details of the morsel of male flesh currently soaping himself on the other side of a plastic sheet. Closing the door softly on the sight, she leant her forehead against the door dejectedly. With this man she could no more ignore his exquisiteness than she could breathe underwater.

Shaking herself firmly, she attempted to snap herself out of whatever this was and returned to her cooking. Though she was probably not the best cook in the world, she was happy to drift through being mediocre instead of being spectacularly awful. At least the dishes she produced were edible.

She set the table quickly and sat down on her _zabuton_ as she waited for Sesshoumaru. The water had turned off a few minutes ago and she waited impatiently for his arrival as her stomach grumbled.

When the bathroom door opened, Kagome was treated to a fierce scowl. Recoiling slightly from his animosity, she did a quick inventory of the male.

He'd braided his damp hair, the water making his spun silver locks darker in colour. Her father's shirt was half undone revealing the smooth planes of his pale pectoral muscles and a delectable collar bone. It was only when her gaze dropped did she realise the reason for her house guests displeasure. Souta was approximately five foot eleven inches tall, Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, reached approximately six foot two inches. As such his ankles were on incredibly prominent display. The flash of colour intrigued her and Kagome realised that twining around his ankles were magenta stripes like the ones on his cheeks.

"Woman," he growled.

She jumped and quickly stood. "I'm so sorry! I didn't consider the difference in heights," she walked back to the chest of drawers to rummage about for a pair of her father's jeans instead. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed on her back as her shoulders shook suspiciously. She was laughing at him. An audible titter escaped.

Sesshoumaru was beside her in a flash, his stance irritated. She waved a pair of light blue jeans at him in surrender.

"Sorry, sorry," she giggled, pressing a hand to her mouth as he snatched the jeans away, apparently affronted by her mirth. "You have to admit you do look funny."

Stalking back towards the bathroom, he retorted over his shoulder, "No, I do _not_."

Rolling her eyes at his inability to laugh at himself, Kagome settled back in front of her food. Sesshoumaru appeared quickly and settled opposite her, looking more comfortable in trousers that didn't flaunt his ankles.

"I hope you like the food," Kagome told him as she picked up her chopsticks. Sesshoumaru sniffed the dishes curiously and, after a moment, began to tuck in. She watched him, one brow cocked and eventually he glanced in her direction and grunted. She assumed that meant it was, at least, edible. Men and their noncommittal noises.

As she ate, Kagome observed the male cautiously. She didn't want him to catch her staring but at the same time she couldn't help but watch him. His table manners were impeccable, he didn't seem too familiar with some of the side dishes and every now and then he'd pluck at the denim of his jeans as though he'd never worn such material before.

When dinner had been finished, Sesshoumaru stood with his plate, his braid slipping over his broad shoulder. It was only a split second glimpse, but Kagome quickly yanked at his collar, pulling it aside to inspect his neck and then pulling back in horror at what she saw.

"Is that a..." she trailed off, eyes stricken.

Sesshoumaru readjusted his collar and continued stacking plates so that he could take them into the kitchen. "A brand?" he finished for her, tone even and measured. Letting none of his fury spill through into his words. "Yes."

"It looks fresh," she whispered, twisting her fingers together as she followed him into the kitchen. Her full stomach shifted with unease. "Does it hurt?"

"No," he informed her softly, golden eyes met her gaze and he seemed perplexed by the worry he saw reflected in her glassy orbs. "Are you concerned for me?" he sounded confused by the concept.

Kagome blinked and frowned at him. "Of course! Someone did something like that to you; it's horrible!" she brushed past him to fill the sink with hot water. Her movements were jerky as she attempted to work through her upset.

"I did not mean to offend," he said every word as if he was weighing its worth before he spoke it. "I am not used to such sentiment."

Kagome pointed a scrubbing brush at him fiercely. "Yeah, well, get used to it."

Both eyebrows drifted to his hairline in mute astonishment before his gaze drifted back to the sink which was now filled with bubbles. The woman proceeded to slam the dishes into the soapy water with alarming gusto, the splashes drenching the front of her shirt; not that she seemed to mind. Chagrin radiating from every pore of his being, Sesshoumaru grabbed her wrists and halted her movements.

"You should not exert such force when cleaning," he told her authoritatively. "Humans tire easily."

The look directed his way was unimpressed. "Oh, hush. You can dry the dishes," she told him mulishly as she pinged a dishtowel at his head. Unsure quite what he'd done to deserve this treatment, Sesshoumaru nonetheless attended to her whim.

Up to her elbows in sudsy water, Kagome ventured a question. "Is that brand the reason you were collapsed outside?"

Sesshoumaru didn't miss a beat, calmly picking up a bowl and methodically drying it as he appeared to mull over her question. "It is part of the reason."

"Why would someone do that to you?" Kagome asked, unable to help the horror that bled into her tone.

"To bind me," he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck as Kagome handed him the last dish and drained the soapy water from the sink.

"To bind you?" she asked curiously, beginning to put the dishes away.

"There are many different ways to bind. A bind can stunt ki, stop movement or halt emotion," Sesshoumaru expounded in a detached manner. "To bind ki a person must be branded at the back of the neck. To halt emotion a person must be branded above their heart. Stopping movement is the most complicated of all, you must brand each of the wrists and ankles."

Worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, Kagome whispered, "Why is yours on the side of your neck?"

Sesshoumaru's lips curled into a cold and gruesome smirk. "Because they missed."

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A/N: Thank you for reading; I hope you enjoyed enough to review!


	6. Lay Me to Sleep

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

A shivering Kagome hastily pulled the futon from the washing line in her small front garden. It was cold out and the darkness seeped into her bones; she shouldn't have left it out here for so long to air, but she'd been distracted by Sesshoumaru.

"A little late for you to be out, isn't it, Kagome-san?" Kouga's voice was tinged with neighbourly concern as he stood in his front door, illuminated by the light of his apartment.

Kagome smiled wanly. "I forgot I was airing my futon out here," she explained.

"I see," Kouga inclined his head. "Is that for your guest?"

Could you call Sesshoumaru a guest? Considering he seemed to be running from someone she was more likely to classify him as a refugee. But her neighbour shouldn't be privy to all the grisly details. Kouga was overprotective and if she told him she barely knew Sesshoumaru, the hot-headed male would call him an unscrupulous character and throw him out. And considering the brand that some evil person had put on Sesshoumaru's neck, Kagome wasn't willing to throw the mysterious man to the curb just yet.

"Yeah," she smiled, folding the futon over her arm and making her way back to her apartment. "What are you doing out here so late?"

"Just checking up on you," Kouga answered lightly, though his sharp blue eyes narrowed slightly. "Maybe you could introduce me to your mysterious guest."

Kagome let out an airy laugh as she climbed the half a dozen steps to her apartment door. "There's nothing mysterious about him, Kouga-san. He's just an old friend, is all."

Kouga appeared unconvinced; Kagome could practically sense the curiosity bubbling inside of the handsome male. Quickly, she kicked open the door and sketched a token bow. "Well, goodnight!"

Once again, Kagome found herself closing the door on her overly inquisitive neighbour. A sigh escaped her lips at how rude she was being. A hand came down on her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her skin. It seemed to amuse Sesshoumaru if the slight quirking of his lips was anything to go by.

"The man who lives in the other building is unduly interested in you," Sesshoumaru stated as he followed her across her open plan apartment.

"Kouga-san is just being friendly," Kagome hedged, though she was beginning to agree with Sesshoumaru. Was Kouga too interested?

"_Hnn_..." Sesshoumaru's golden gaze slid to the window through which Kouga's apartment was visible. "He did not carry the scent of a _friend_."

"Scent?" Kagome asked, glancing at him sharply as she once again wondered exactly what Sesshoumaru was.

The silver-haired male seemed to realise he'd let something slip and treated her to a tight-lipped glare as she rolled out his futon next to her bed. Apparently he still wasn't in a sharing mood. Once again she was struck by the idiocy of allowing a stranger in to her home, regardless of the fact that she didn't even know what he was. But, for some unfathomable reason, she trusted him and, strangely enough, he seemed to return the trust.

Kagome rolled her eyes as Sesshoumaru glowered at the futon she'd made up for him. She could tell that he still wanted to share her bed or kick her out of the bed and let her sleep on the futon.

"Do you possess a comb?" Sesshoumaru inquired belligerently as he settled onto the futon cross-legged. Kagome grinned, picking up the brush from her dresser she sat behind him on the bed. He gave her a flat look.

"Please let me brush it?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.

Sesshoumaru appeared to count backwards from ten. "I am not a doll," he bit out. It sounded as though he was talking from between gritted teeth.

"I know, I know," Kagome placated as she beamed hopefully at him. The stoic male lost a little of his haughty reserve and turned his back on her offering his hair for her pleasure. She squealed, he winced. And Sesshoumaru cursed his strange inclination to let the human have her way. Apparently he was developing a soft spot for her. Which would not be a good thing. Like a mountain that developed a crack, he would eventually crumble if he continued to expose himself to her benign cheerfulness.

Sesshoumaru sighed. He had to leave soon.

Gleefully, Kagome removed the tie from his braid and let his spun silver hair fan out across his broad shoulders. It was as fine as it appeared to be, shifting through her fingertips like the finest silk. She gathered the silky mass and rubbed it between her fingers, a sigh of bliss escaping her lips. She had an urge to bury her face in it and inhale his fragrance but hastily pushed it down in favour of pulling her brush through the long hair.

Sesshoumaru allowed his eyelids to slip to half-mast as the contented woman sifted through his tresses with infinite care. Patting and pulling, sifting and stroking, brushing and fluffing. He didn't miss the way she traced the tips of his pointed ears in fascination, he didn't miss the deep inhales when she pulled his hair through her comb, as though she was trying to breathe him in. It was soothing. The last person to take care of him so attentively had been his mother in his younger years. This was nostalgic and yet better. This woman's care stirred his blood and made him lapse into lethargy in the same moment.

So relaxed, he missed when she drew open the drawer of her bedside table.

When her delicate little fingers with their feeble claws patted his brand he tensed, unsure as to her plans and relaxed when she rubbed a balm that smelled of aloe over the dent to his pride. The brand that struggled to dampen his youki was more of a wound to his ego than to his body. It was strange that, merely with her presence, Kagome had soothed his rankled superiority easily.

A soft sigh puffed against his neck and Sesshoumaru quickly moved to catch the young woman as she pitched forwards floppy as a rag doll. Confusion gripped him for a moment as he pressed his ear over her heart and then he relaxed. It had been too long since he'd been around humans. She'd fallen asleep, lulled by the sedative scent of his hair. It was a lesser known talent of his, so much so that he'd forgotten about it.

Carefully, he pulled back her bedding covers with one hand and laid her on her back in the middle of the bed as gently as he could without jostling her. Almost as soon as he'd relinquished his hold on her, she'd curled up like a feline in a ball. One hand moved lethargically across the bed and, amused, Sesshoumaru pressed a lock of his hair into her palm. The wrinkle between her brows smoothed out and she sighed before falling into a deeper sleep.

It seemed that this woman was besotted with his hair.

A lopsided smirk claimed his features as his eyes glinted in the semi-darkness of the room. His sudden attachment afforded him an invitation and with great relish he bid his futon sayonara and climbed into her incredibly comfortable elevated futon. A fine and defendable conquest; after all, she was the one who had refused to let him go.

Frozen in surprise, Sesshoumaru remained still as the small woman moved towards him in her sleep. Her head ended up over his heart and he frowned as he twined his fingers through the ebony strands of her hair.

As he stared solemnly up at the ceiling he pondered this latest development. He'd never contemplated attachment before, considering that he found most other living things detestable. But now, as he allowed a human to use him as a pillow, he found himself wondering.

Could he continue to do as he pleased, when it pleased him to remain in the company of someone so frail?

* * *

A/N: This came in second place over on dokuga_contest for the prompt _Conquest_ and was originally posted on June 29th 2011. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!


	7. Thrown to the Wolves

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and make no profit from this work of fiction.

* * *

Kagome cracked one eye open and pushed her alarm clock off of her bedside table with one flailing arm. With a protesting grumble, she buried her head under her pillow. For a moment, she felt herself drifting back into slumber and then reality struck.

Sitting upright so fast that her head spun, Kagome rolled to the side of her bed and peered down at Sesshoumaru's bed roll. The futon hadn't been slept on and she pushed her sleep-mussed hair from her sleepy eyes in confusion.

A quick scan of her apartment nearly made her swallow her tongue. Sesshoumaru was already awake and indulging in a little early morning reading. Perched very peculiarly on the back of her armchair with his feet on the seat, he poured over a book her grandpa had given her.

But that wasn't what had stunned her. Her daze was due to the way the sunlight reflected off of his silver tresses as they tumbled in a sheer cloak over his nakedness. Why was he naked? The clothes she had given him were thrown over the arm of the armchair.

Strong thighs, elegantly muscled arms and clavicles she wanted to lick. Closing her eyes and reigning in her libido, she pushed back her duvet and slipped on her slippers.

"Sesshoumaru?" she called hesitantly, averting her eyes as she wondered why she was wearing the same clothes as yesterday. She couldn't even remember falling asleep. The last thing she'd been aware of was the silky cool feeling of Sesshoumaru's hair.

"Good morning," the male murmured, his astute golden gaze never leaving the pages of the book he was perusing.

"Why - why are you naked?" Kagome blurted the words out so fast they were almost unintelligible and ducked her head as he lifted his gaze.

Cataloguing the flushed cheeks, bashful fidgeting and general inability to meet his gaze, Sesshoumaru deduced that his nakedness was in some way unsettling to the little human. He frowned and closed his book, dragging his fingertips over the clothes he had discarded.

"These clothes are irksome in their restrictiveness," he expounded, "and my clothes are in need of cleaning."

Kagome glanced at the bag with his clothes in. She was not too knowledgeable about cleaning traditional clothes; instead she was planning on taking the garments to a dry-cleaner's. "Oh," she murmured, resisting the urge to point out that most people wouldn't use 'restrictiveness' as an excuse to get naked. Apparently he wasn't very modest. "I'll get you something better when I come home from work," she promised.

"_Hnn..._" Sesshoumaru nodded and returned to his book. Kagome sighed and pulled herself together. If Sesshoumaru didn't seem to think that being naked in her home was anything to be bothered about then she could put it to the back of her mind as well. Or, at least, she could _try_. Probably unsuccessfully, but it was the thought that counted.

Daily routine became tedious and cumbersome. She showered, changed into work clothes and made breakfast, whilst, all the while, a naked male sat on her armchair nonchalantly reading. A tantalising distraction in her peripheral vision. He didn't look up, grunted at her offer of food and barely even acknowledged her as she hunted high and low for her house keys.

As she pulled on her coat, she noticed that the local newspaper had been pushed through the letterbox. The headline spoke of break-ins and violent assaults in her area, she shivered. Sometimes living in a big city could be dangerous.

"I'm leaving," she called out, not expecting a reply. So, she was obviously stunned when he was roused from his reading.

Sesshoumaru glanced up at her and then stood. Kagome quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks burning as the male prowled towards her. When he eventually reached her, she looked up to meet his smouldering gaze. With infinite care, he twined her scarf around her neck as he had done yesterday. Once again, the feeling of his claws should have encouraged some fear but she felt strangely safe and all at once flustered.

"Stay safe," he murmured, smoothing a hand over her hair in a curiously sweet gesture.

"I will," she promised with a tiny shy smile. She wisely waited until he'd claimed his seat on the armchair once more before opening her front door; no need to give any passersby a treat.

* * *

The book on his lap was actually quite amusing. It seemed that humans were ridiculously ignorant of his kind. In this time, it seemed that his race was believed to be a mere myth. Sesshoumaru rankled at the dismissal. It had surely been a long time since the two species had intermingled, but not long enough to relegate them into fairytales, surely?

In a fit of pique, he threw the blasted book at the wall. In almost the same moment, the blasted bird appeared from Kagome's time piece once more. He curled his lip at it in a half-hearted snarl and then realised that Kagome was due home soon.

So far, he'd been freeloading rather imperiously off of the little human woman. He felt a little demeaned by this. She was so delicate and yet she'd been taking care of him in every way possible. She was admirably well versed in dealing with strange situations.

Sesshoumaru sighed as realisation came to him. If their roles had been reversed, and she'd shown up outside his home half-dead, he mightn't have been so welcoming. In fact, he'd probably have killed her to put her out of her misery. It humbled him to admit just how indebted he was to the female.

Wandering through into her kitchen, he opened and closed the cupboards on the unfamiliar implements she had until he unearthed something he did recognise. A tea set. With an approving nod, he decided that, if nothing else, he could at least prepare tea for her arrival home.

The tea ceremony was one he had performed numerous times, but this was the first time he was performing it for a human. In fact, he'd never made tea for a woman either, unless his mother could be counted. It was also the first time he'd ever attempted the ceremony naked, but he disregarded that; the clothes Kagome had given him were uncomfortable.

He would admit, even if it was only to himself, that, whilst he hadn't removed his clothes with any objective in mind, he hadn't covered up in order to gauge her response. More daring females would have pounced; more bashful females would have demanded that he dress. Kagome seemed pleased by his physique, but would only take quick approving peeks rather than drinking in his beauty.

It amused him. Intrigued him. Enticed him.

Long ago he had shrugged off the shackles of perception. He did not care what others thought of him any longer, so whilst this strange attraction to the human female was unanticipated, he was willing to explore it. Unlike most of the beings he knew, Kagome's company was actually pleasant.

Golden eyes flicked towards the door as he heard Kagome's voice. She was talking to the male who lived opposite her again. Sesshoumaru's youki stood on end in annoyance; if the man insisted on sniffing around the miko, Sesshoumaru would be only too happy to demonstrate his superiority. For the time being, however, he would have to save the damsel in distress.

Donning the bottom half of the ensemble Kagome had given him, Sesshoumaru prowled to the door and opened it slowly.

Meeting the bright blue gaze of the neighbour, Sesshoumaru buried his nose in Kagome's hair, hiding his facial stripes, and shackled a muscled arm around her waist. Pulling her back to his torso, he made sure that the nuisance understood that Kagome was no longer his business before dragging her back into the apartment and closing the door.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Kagome demanded, spinning in his grasp and stabbing a finger into his bare chest in her annoyance.

"Saving you," he answered shortly, looking away as though bored.

"Saving me? From Kouga-san? He's just a little overprotective and likes to check that I'm okay," she informed him wanly as she unwound her scarf from her neck.

"You were distressed," Sesshoumaru pointed out coolly. "Your scent indicated that you felt cornered."

Kagome rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "That's because he wants to meet you – considering you're not human, I'd say that's a bad idea."

"He is pushy," Sesshoumaru decided uncharitably.

"He's just being neighbourly," Kagome protested airily, though she sounded like she didn't believe her own words.

"There is neighbourly and then there is nosey, this male is crossing the line," Sesshoumaru deduced, lip curling as he glared out of the window at Kouga's apartment.

Kagome ignored him, glancing around to the tea he'd set out on the chabudai. "Wow," she whispered, awed at the sight, "You can do tea ceremonies?"

"It is in my repertoire," Sesshoumaru boasted quietly.

Kagome's eyes crinkled at the edges as she smiled appreciatively. "That's a lovely gesture, thanks, Sesshoumaru."

"It is the least I could do," he demurred. Kagome smiled and handed him a shopping bag. He pulled the plastic bag open and peered inside.

"I got your clothes washed and borrowed some more traditional clothes for you to wear," she explained with a shrug.

Sesshoumaru nodded with approval at the new loose training hakama and kosode that Kagome had acquired for him. Gesturing for her to help herself to the tea he had poured; he quickly changed into the clothes.

Kagome watched Sesshoumaru over the rim of her tea cup as he reclaimed the zabuton opposite her. The new clothes she'd pilfered from Miroku fit him rather well, the loose tie on his kosode leaving the sculpted planes of his chest to play peek-a-boo. But his expression was rather haggard and lethargic.

"Sesshoumaru, are you okay?"

The male met her concerned gaze with his bleary golden eyes and rubbed his neck wearily. Perhaps the brand on his neck was bothering him?

"I am fine," he murmured, looking down at his hand as it shook. He seemed as confused as she was as to his sudden decline.

"Are you?" she asked, reaching over the chabudai, she pressed a hand to his forehead, determined to check and see if he had a fever.

Soft fingertips met the crescent moon on his forehead; gentle miko ki met wounded youki. There was a jolt, Kagome's eyes widened as she snatched her hand back, and Sesshoumaru swayed where he sat.

A pulse of youki thrummed through the apartment.

"Wha—"

Kagome didn't even get to finish her bewildered question as her front door was knocked clear off its hinges, into the apartment and two snarling, snapping wolves sprang over the wreckage and prowled into her apartment.

Kagome pressed a hand to her mouth."Oh, my!"

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you guys enjoyed the latest chapter.


	8. A Swooning Knight, a Dashing Princess

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

* * *

It was the first time she had seen a real wolf that wasn't on the television. And though they were magnificent creatures, she would have preferred to meet them when they weren't growling and snapping and snarling at her. Glancing at her broken door and then at the wolves that had broken into her apartment, she wondered if she'd entered the twilight zone. Since when were there wolves in Tokyo?

In one moment, she was staring at the muzzles of the wolves and in the next; Sesshoumaru had spun her behind him defensively. She gripped the back of his kosode worriedly as she peered out from behind him. Though she was reassured by his prompt reaction and need to keep her safe, she was worried about him. The male had been acting rather woozy just before the wolves had burst in. She doubted he was feeling any better now.

Really, she didn't want him doing much of anything except resting. No matter if he wasn't human, he wasn't in a fit state to take on two snarling wolves.

The two wolves advanced, their muzzles still pulled back in fearsome snarls as they prepared to attack. Kagome clung to Sesshoumaru's kosode, at a loss as to what they should do. Would the wolves pounce if they tried to run? Even if they didn't move, the wolves already seemed pretty rabid.

"Kagome-san."

Kagome's eyes grew large and round as her neighbour walked across the incapacitated door and into the apartment. She quickly threw herself out from behind Sesshoumaru, concerned for her neighbour's safety.

"Kouga-san, you mustn't!" she squeaked, shooing him away as she kept one wary eye on the snapping wolves.

Calmly, the dark haired male stepped forward and grabbed her wrist, pulling her so that their torsos kissed before he tucked her into his side. To Kagome's complete astonishment, the two wolves paid them no heed; instead they focused their baleful gazes on Sesshoumaru. Kagome struggled in her neighbour's hold as Sesshoumaru's eyelids drooped to half mast, he was decidedly peaky-looking and she attempted to return to his side.

But Kouga's arm around her midriff proved to be as effective as a steel band. She was unable to go back to the ethereal male. Instead she was thrashing rather ineffectually like a landed fish.

"Let me go!" she demanded as she wriggled furiously in Kouga's grip. She whimpered when the two wolves advanced on Sesshoumaru again, terrified for the male.

"Return Kagome to me," Sesshoumaru ordered, voice unyielding if a little rough.

Kouga boldly ignored the silver-haired male. "Keep him off of us," Kouga appeared to be giving the two wolves orders and they appeared to be listening. Kagome squawked in outrage as Kouga picked her up and attempted to carry her from the apartment.

"No, stop! What are you doing to Sesshoumaru?" she demanded, beating her fists on Kouga's arms furiously.

Sesshoumaru watched them, his fury bubbling even as he could feel his strength leaving him. What right did this male have to lay his hands on Kagome?

"He's not who you think he is, Kagome-san," Kouga murmured placating words into her ear as he attempted to contain the little hell-cat of a woman. "He's not human."

Kagome got in a good kidney shot with her elbow. He grunted but refused to let up his grip. "I know!" she ranted, "So just let me go, let me go!"

"Hey! Hey!" Kouga grumbled as he clung onto the squirming woman who was hell-bent on escaping his grasp. For a damsel in distress, she wasn't taking being rescued very well.

"What are you?" Sesshoumaru asked, his breathing become laboured.

Kouga pulled his lips back off his teeth in a snarl. "I should be asking you the same question."

Magenta eyelids fluttered, knees knocked, the world tilted on its axis. Sesshoumaru crumpled to the floor, his head making a loud crack as it came into contact with the wooden floorboards.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome yelled, panicked when the male who had seemed so formidable just yesterday didn't respond to her pleading. This time, when she swatted at Kouga, a small measure of her miko ki leaked into her palms in answer to her distress and the male dropped her as if she had become molten hot.

Disregarding the two confused looking wolves, Kagome raced back across the floor and dropped to Sesshoumaru's side, cradling his head in her lap. She stroked her fingertips over the magenta stripes on his cheeks and traced the crescent moon on his forehead with her littlest finger.

"Kagome-san?" Kouga was rubbing his arm which felt oddly like she had singed it with a mere touch. "What was that?"

Baleful eyes flicked up to Kouga and she pulled her lips off her teeth in a very human snarl. "You! You burst into my home with two wolves! You bust down my door! You try to kidnap me! And now, because of you Sesshoumaru might have a concussion!" she spit each accusation at him, hurling her words as if they were grenades.

Kouga winced at the level of noise that the small woman was capable of emitting. The two wolves looked repentant, pressing their ears to their skulls and lowering their muzzles regretfully.

"We felt the youki, it was stronger than anything we've ever felt," Kouga explained calmly, "we thought you were in danger."

"Youki?" Kagome asked in incomprehension as she stared down at Sesshoumaru's pallid face with concern in her blue eyes. She wondered if that was the strange thing that had run down her spine before the wolves had broken her door down.

"Yeah, it was pretty immense," a new voice intoned. Kagome let out a strangled squeak as she turned to look at the new voice. Where there had just been a wolf, there was now a naked man, his name – if Kagome recalled correctly – was Ginta and she knew him as a friend of Kouga's. He was a nice man, a primary school teacher, who'd once helped fix a shattered pane in her window.

The other wolf cracked its neck and, in a swirl of fur and skin and teeth, she was staring at Hakkaku. She knew him as a vet friend of Kouga's, he made amazing cupcakes and he'd brought her some last Valentine's day.

Kagome opened her mouth only to find no sounds would form between her lips. She closed her eyes, twisting her fingers in Sesshoumaru's hair and drew a little composure from the man in her lap. "Do you guys turn into wolves?"

They all froze, turning wide eyes on her. "You mean you didn't know?" Ginta was the first to phrase a tentative reply.

"I knew Sesshoumaru was _other_," Kagome stressed, attempting to regulate her breathing, "but what are you guys?"

Rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, Kouga murmured, "Werewolves?" as if it was a question.

Kagome held a hand to her head as her mind reeled. This was too much to take in all at once; she felt as though she was going to go insane. Abruptly, she stopped trying to process the situation and clapped her hands together.

The wolves jumped.

"You," she pointed at Kouga, using her best authoritative voice, "fix my door. Ginta-san, help me take Sesshoumaru to the bed. Hakkaku-san, you need to get me some aspirin and some good coffee."

They all stared at her in wonder for a moment. She clicked her fingers impatiently. "Hop to it!"

* * *

They were giving her space, the wolves. Kouga seemed abashed at his brash actions and Ginta was openly apologetic about the entire scenario. Hakkaku had stayed with her at Sesshoumaru's bedside, the closest thing they had to a medical professional, he was also the calmest of the three... wolves.

It seemed strange, even in her own mind, to call them wolves. Bad b-rated Hollywood horror movies had turned werewolves into sinister rabid creatures that preyed on innocent people, but these men were all remarkably normal. They had jobs and paid taxes and told jokes and... apparently screwed up just like anybody else.

"Do you have any idea what is wrong with him?" Kagome asked, she couldn't seem to stop touching Sesshoumaru, as if afraid that if she let him out of her sight for too long he'd disappear. At the present moment she had a strand of his hair wrapped around her thumb as she sat at his side on the bed.

Hakkuku frowned, rubbing his temples. "I wish I could tell you, but we aren't even sure what he is."

"He's not a werewolf, then?" she asked tentatively, eyes trained on Sesshoumaru's angelic face.

Shaking his head solemnly, Hakkaku replied slowly, "It is said that our pack is descended from demons. Wolf demons that used to roam the earth hundreds of years ago. We possess only a fraction of the power that they once possessed before they became extinct, but it still grants us longevity and strength greater than any human's." Hakkaku paused, closing his eyes and inhaling wearily. "I'd say that what we felt from Sesshoumaru today, even in his weakened state, was a thousand times more powerful than any werewolf I've ever met."

Kagome blinked slowly, absorbing the information. "So, following that logic, Sesshoumaru is one of those ancient demons. The forerunners of were-creatures."

Hakkaku hummed an affirmative. "His power is staggering."

A mug of tea was pressed into her hands and Kagome looked up at Kouga warily. The blue eyed male looked a little sheepish, but he held his head high. "You still sure you want to stay by his side?" he pressed softly, placing a comforting hand on her slight shoulder, "We could throw him out for you."

Shrugging off Kouga's hand, Kagome placed the untouched tea on her bedside table and crawled up the bed until she was sat against the headboard with Sesshoumaru's head firmly in her lap. She met Kouga's gaze with resolve flowing through her veins. "I may have more questions than I have answers," Kagome began in a soft voice, "but I know that for reasons beyond my control, I trust Sesshoumaru. And I want to help him. He told me once that if I kicked him out he'd die. I don't plan on allowing that to happen."

Kouga considered her for a long moment and she didn't drop her gaze or blink, her posture firm and unyielding. The werewolf smiled lopsidedly and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I can't say I agree, but I kind of expected you to say that. I've always admired your kindness, Kagome-san."

Ginta laughed softly. "She's as loyal as any wolf."

Kagome smiled half-heartedly at the compliment as she pressed her face into Sesshoumaru's hair. Was it really enough to be loyal when Sesshoumaru was like this?

_Wake up, Sesshoumaru! I'm here, waiting for you_.

* * *

A/N: This was written for the _First Time_ theme over on dokuga_contest and I'm happy to say that it placed second. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.


	9. Sleeping Beauty

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome moved like a zombie around her kitchen the next morning. Not even the apricot cupcakes Hakkaku had made her could get her to cheer up. The wolves had woken her bright and early, showing up on her doorstep with cupcakes and coffee from her favourite coffee shop.

Sat at the table in her bright and cheery kitchen, Kagome's gloomy expression stuck out like a sore thumb. She wore the same things she'd fallen asleep in yesterday; her hair was mussed and she was rumpled.

The wolves hadn't even asked about Sesshoumaru. They didn't have to. It was obvious in the scent of melancholy that surrounded Kagome, the droop of her shoulders, the dullness of her blue eyes. The silver haired male had obviously not awoken.

Ginta smiled gently at the woman as she took one of Hakkaku's cupcakes and ripped it into pieces absently with her fingers. "Kagome-san," he murmured, pressing a hand over one of hers and preventing her from demolishing the cupcake anymore. "He'll be okay."

Kagome met Ginta's gaze with bleary eyes. "I hope so," she mumbled in a small voice.

Kouga made an uncomfortable noise in the back of his throat. He'd been stood against the wall, away from Kagome for most of the visit, but now he strode forwards. grabbing Kagome's chin between his thumb and index finger, he jerked her gaze up to his fiercely. "What's wrong with you, Kagome-san?" he snapped.

"Kouga!" Hakkuku and Ginta chorused admonishingly.

The blue eyed wolf ignored them entirely. "Moping won't make Sesshoumaru any better," he snipped, holding her gaze. The tiny woman frowned and then smiled a small smile.

"You're right," she told him calmly, running her hand through her rumpled hair and using her fingers to pull out any tangles. "I'm going in the shower and then I'm going to work. Could one of you stay here with Sesshoumaru?"

Kouga inclined his head. "I work from home, I can watch him if you'd like."

"You aren't going to try and get rid of him?" Kagome asked wryly, arching an eyebrow.

A low amused growl rumbled from Kouga's chest and Kagome smiled genuinely.

* * *

"I'm going now," Kagome told Sesshoumaru, eyes scanning his nubile features for any sign of awareness. Unfortunately, nothing happened. Kagome smiled a little ruefully and replaced the cold cloth on his hot forehead with a new one. She dipped her head down, her lips nearly touching one pointed ear as she whispered, "When I get home, I want to see your eyes again."

Kouga – now wearing his spectacles – had settled down at the chabudai with his laptop. Work surrounded him, and he had already been transported away into his own world.

"I'm leaving," she called chirpily, though her expression dropped as she clocked her scarf hanging from the coat hook. How quickly she'd become used to Sesshoumaru winding the scarf around her neck each morning. She missed the tiny intimacy of his claws brushing over her skin.

"Bye," Kouga grunted.

Kagome hid her smile in her scarf. The cool air assaulted her exposed flesh as she stepped outside onto the front stoop and closed the door behind her. The wind followed her down the street as she walked to work, pushing her forwards at a brisk pace.

Though she only worked a short distance away, she found her steps were a tad quicker than usual. An uneasy feeling had settled low in her belly, the further away from Sesshoumaru she grew, the more she wanted to return to his side.

Tamping down on the strange discontent in her belly, Kagome couldn't quite repress the need to repeatedly glance over her shoulders. She probably looked paranoid, but she was beginning to think that such a conclusion mightn't be too far off the mark.

Ducking into the alleyway beside the bakery, she opened the back entrance and stepped into the warmth and luscious smells of baking. As a cashier, she didn't have to arrive at work at an ungodly hour as the owner Hojo did. He baked for the sheer love of it though; she'd never seen the man smile wider than when he was elbow-deep in dough.

"You look preoccupied," Hojo commented, sliding a batch of cupcakes into the oven.

Kagome shrugged out of her coat and scarf and donned her logo-emblazoned, navy apron. "I'm fine," Kagome murmured, shrugging off her friendly boss's concern as the other cashier, Aiko burst into the building.

"I heard about the break-ins in your area," Hojo continued blithely. "Are you okay?"

Aiko made a concerned noise in the back of her throat. "My flat was broken into once, it was a nightmare," she confided.

Kagome smiled, feeling slightly reassured at their comfort. "I'll be fine, my neighbours are always checking up on me."

Hojo nodded seriously. "If you ever feel threatened, you can come to me," he murmured reassuringly, though he'd turned back to his bread already.

Kagome smiled. "I appreciate it," she assured her half-listening boss. He was a good man, but she doubted he'd be able to do anything if someone broke into her house. Besides, with her friendly neighbourhood werewolves hanging around, she felt rather safe in her flat. Not to mention the ominous presence of Sesshoumaru; she still couldn't figure out how he managed to be intimidating whilst prostrated.

Normally, Kagome found her job busy enough at times to forget all her problems as she dealt with huge queues of hungry people. Today, the aroma of fresh bread didn't relax her, the small talk with the regular customers seemed strained and she couldn't lose herself in the bustle as she normally did.

She wondered whether it was permissible to be that enraptured with a male she'd only known for less than a week.

* * *

Kouga glanced up from his laptop as the cuckoo clock that hung in Kagome's sitting room chirpily alerted him to her imminent arrival home. Saving his work, the ookami powered down his laptop and stood up, stretching his arms above his head as he yawned. Darting a glance at the silver-haired male sprawled across Kagome's bed, Kouga sighed. He hadn't moved an inch all day. If it hadn't been for the minute contractions of his chest as he breathed, the male could have been taken for a corpse.

Kouga heard the tumblers of the door shift as Kagome unlocked the door and burst into her apartment. A draft followed her as she floated in, throwing her scarf and her coat in the approximate direction of the coat hook as she shucked her shoes and donned her slippers.

Kouga watched the little whirl-wind female as she rushed to Sesshoumaru's side. She dropped to her knees at his bedside and entwined their fingers together.

Though he would never admit it, Kouga's sensitive ears picked up on the words the little human whispered into Sesshoumaru's hair. "I missed you."

Eyes crinkling as he smiled softly, Kouga shut his laptop with a click, reminding Kagome of his presence in her apartment. Startled, wide eyed and pink cheeked, Kagome glanced at Kouga.

"Um... _tadima_?" she ventured a little bashfully.

"_Okaeri_," Kouga murmured with a lopsided grin. "Hakakku is insisting on coming over to cook for you, and where he goes Ginta follows," Kouga spoke briskly, "So I guess you've got a houseful of company for dinner."

Kagome's smile was well worth the day of Sesshoumaru-sitting.

* * *

Darkness had descended, the wolves had bid her goodnight with the promise of a wake-up call the next morning, dishes had been washed and dried and put away. Kagome was sleepily making her way to her bed, her tired feet shuffling across the hard wood floor.

As she climbed into her bed, she basked in Sesshoumaru's angelic sleeping face.

"I wish you'd wake up already," she whispered, tracing the crescent moon on his brow with her littlest finger. "You're worrying me," she murmured as she bent and touched her lips to his forehead in the barest whisper of a kiss.

A tingle ran through her blood and she pulled away from the male slightly as a curious wooziness rushed through her.

Only to gaze into a pair of bleary golden eyes.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the instalment!


	10. Hypothesise

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome's brows flew to her hairline as she met Sesshoumaru's lethargic gaze with shocked blue eyes. Part of her wanted to rejoice that he was awake, but she also felt extremely bashful over the fact that he'd probably felt her kiss him. Even if it was just a peck on his forehead.

Scratching the side of her neck, Kagome shuffled back a little to give Sesshoumaru some breathing space and nearly toppled off the bed. A timely grab of a fistful of her pyjama t-shirt saved her from landing hard on wooden floorboards. "Are you okay?" she asked, a little breathlessly.

"Hn..." Sesshoumaru murmured, blinking up at her lethargically as he pulled her back onto the bed by her shirtfront. "Thanks to you."

"Thanks to me?" she echoed, frowning in confusion as she stared down at him. "What does that mean?"

Sesshoumaru carefully arranged her so that she was lying down in the bed instead of sitting against the headboard. "This can wait until tomorrow, sleep now." He pressed a clawed thumb against Kagome's bottom lip.

Kagome slapped at his hands, resisting his attempts to make her go to sleep even as he curled around her as if seeking out her warmth. "But I—"

"No," Sesshoumaru's voice was firm, as his cold hands manacled her wrists to deter her struggles. He nuzzled his face into her hair sleepily. "Sleep now. Talk tomorrow."

Those cool fingers against her wrists, coupled with the cold nose pressed to the back of her neck and the muscled legs wrapped around her legs intimately made her protests die on her lips. Though it appeared Sesshoumaru was over the worst of whatever had happened to him, he still seemed tired, as though his body needed to recuperate. With a sigh she closed her eyes, a slow smile spreading across her features as a low thrum began to reverberate in Sesshoumaru's chest. As if he was purring. Nuzzling into her pillow, Kagome settled down, allowing her exhaustion to pull her away into sleep.

* * *

Wakefulness came upon Kagome like a ton of bricks; she bolted up right, clutching the blankets to her chest. A quick glance at her side revealed that Sesshoumaru wasn't there and she let go of the breath she had been holding; last night hadn't been a dream. He really was awake again.

Her shoulders sagged with relief and her eyes softened as she watched him glower at her cuckoo clock like it had done him a personal grievance. It appeared he still hadn't gotten over his aversion to the harmless inanimate object. Golden eyes flitted in her direction and he dropped the glower when he realised she was watching him with a dopey little smile.

"Hey," she mumbled, her voice sleep-clogged and a little husky.

"Good morning," he replied, padding across the apartment with bare clawed feet. He dropped to kneel at her side, propping his elbows on the bed.

"It's good to see your eyes again," she whispered, cheeks heating at the sound of the omission. She couldn't actually believe she'd said that, a hand came up to hide her traitor lips.

"It is good to see you too, Kagome," he admitted with a wry flex of his lips. "I am once again indebted to you."

Kagome met his gaze once again, tilting her head to one side curiously. "What do you mean?"

Sesshoumaru hummed thoughtfully. "I would hypothesise that I was suffering from an ailment that is somewhat similar to culture shock," he expounded with a careless shrug, "such as I am, your world is unable to sustain me. I required a transfusion of your power in order to come to. That was what your kiss did."

Cheeks flushing once more, Kagome cursed inwardly. So he had realised that she'd kissed him. Deciding that a distraction was needed, she blurted, "My power? What power? And why, if it's culture sickness, were you okay for a few days?"

"It took awhile to take a hold of me and, when it finally caught up to me, it pulled me under fast and I lost my strength," his lips twisted and his nose wrinkled as he admitted to the last. Kagome could understand that this male in front of her was unused to feeling powerless. He seemed to exude a sense of calm confident power normally. "And by power," he continued quickly, "I mean your innate power as a priestess."

There was a beat as Kagome just blinked mutely at him. "You've made a mistake – I'm not a priestess. My grandfather's a priest but—"

"It is not the training that makes the priestess," he tapped a claw tip on her temple, "but the heart," he continued, pressing his palm over her hummingbird heart.

"Oh," she offered, somewhat lamely. Words didn't come easily in such weird situations. A male not from the human realm had his hand between her breasts. It wasn't how she usually woke up. Clearing her throat, she soldiered on, "This is probably the most I've heard you talk," she teased.

"Hnn..." he curled his lip at her. But his eyes twinkled. "Have your shower, Kagome."

"Now that's more like you," she niggled as she rose from the bed, stretching her arms above her head, toes curling against the wooden floor. "Inarticulate grunts and orders..." she began to pace away towards the bathroom, pausing only to throw a parting remark over her shoulder. "All you need now is some cryptic comment."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes at her retreating back.

* * *

Turning her hairdryer off, Kagome fluffed her hair once more in the mirror before she opened the bathroom door...

And walked straight into a supernatural standoff.

Apparently, the wolves had kept their promise of coming back to check up on her in the morning. But, silly her, she'd forgotten to explain who they were to Sesshoumaru. He probably thought they were still trying to kidnap her. She pressed a hand over her eyes; this situation was so beyond the realms of normal.

For all intents and purposes, Hakkaku and Ginta didn't seem to be that involved in the display. The two wolves stood off to one side, watching the goings-on with wary eyes.

On the other hand, Kouga and Sesshoumaru were toe to toe. Kouga's blue eyes were hard and Sesshoumaru's golden glare was icy. Fists were clenching, fangs were bared, eyes were haloed with red. Kagome didn't know what that meant, per say, but she was going to guess that when a mystical creature's eyes turned the colour of blood, bad things were about to happen.

Without further ado, she flung herself at Sesshoumaru. Quite literally. Halfway through her little sprint, she tripped over the rug, jerking Sesshoumaru from the standoff forcibly as he caught her inches from the unforgiving wooden floor.

"Hi," she offered, looking up into Sesshoumaru's golden eyes. The red seemed to have seeped away and she took that as a good sign. The corners of his lips twitched as he kept his claim over her upper arms and pulled her to her feet. Once she was standing again, he pulled her to his chest and tucked her head under his chin.

"You will not take her," he vowed, once more glaring daggers at Kouga.

"I keep telling you; I'm not trying to take her," Kouga threw his hands into the air in frustration, shaking his head, "she obviously wants to stay with you." He gestured at the way Kagome snuggled into his embrace. "God knows why."

A low growl ripped from Sesshoumaru's chest and Kouga snapped back in answer. Kagome – who was pressed against Sesshoumaru's chest – marvelled at the vibration she could feel when the deadly male growled. It tickled.

"Possessive much?" Kouga bit out through gritted teeth, "You're like a dog with a damn bone!"

Still ensconced firmly within Sesshoumaru's arms, Kagome turned her head a little to look at Kouga. The wolf was fuming; Kagome half expected steam to be pouring from his ears.

"Get out," Sesshoumaru ordered darkly, looking down at the wolf with glacial disinterest.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome protested, pulling away from him. He allowed her a little breathing space, but was unwilling to let her from the protective ring of his arms when the wolves were so close. "Kouga-san isn't trying to kidnap me; the other day he was simply trying to protect me from you. He thought you were a threat."

Sesshoumaru's lip curled and Kouga ran a hand through his brown hair. "That's what I've been trying to tell him!"

"I had no reason to believe you," Sesshoumaru replied waspishly, "and I still do not."

"Likewise," Kouga grunted.

Flabbergasted, Kagome looked back and forth between the two males as they seemed to come to some kind of mutual unspoken conclusion. She glanced over at Ginta and Hakkaku for a little help, only to find the two wolves trying to hold back their laughter. _Great_, she mused, _the whole world's gone insane... or I have_.

"Both as stubborn as each other," Ginta managed to get out, before the fight with the giggles became too much for him.

Hakkuku rolled his eyes at his friend and turned to smile warmly at Kagome. "Come on, I'll make us breakfast."

Kagome frowned up at Sesshoumaru, who watched Hakkaku probingly for a moment before he allowed her to go to the werewolf. It was a little nice to see him so protective over her, but she would bet that it would get annoying fast.

* * *

The buzz of the television provided a droning background to Kouga's interrogation. The werewolf was apparently on a quest to discover exactly what Sesshoumaru was, why he was here and what his intentions were. Sesshoumaru seemed equally as intent at ignoring the bombardment of questions and the wolf. Hakkuku and Ginta had long since given up attempting to steer the conversation onto safer tracks and absently rolled their eyes every now and then.

"What are your intentions towards Kagome?" Kouga tried a new tack and Kagome groaned. Hakkaku chortled.

"He sounds like an anxious father that's just met his daughter's boyfriend," Ginta mumbled.

Though Kagome had to agree with the wolf's description, Kagome didn't appreciate the embarrassment she felt. Kouga was not getting anything out of Sesshoumaru, and though she wanted answers too, the brash wolf was getting on everyone's last nerve.

Kagome turned towards the television absently. The newsreader stared back at her sombrely over his spectacles. It seemed that the break-ins in the area had escalated and that someone had ended up in hospital. Kagome frowned, grateful of her otherworldly companions in the face of such violence.

"God damn it," Kouga had apparently reached the end of his rope, "Answer the questions!"

With jarring abruptness, Kagome stood, startling Kouga from his barrage and earning her a sidelong look from Sesshoumaru. Fists formed, but when she looked up it was with an inanely cheerful smile.

"I'm going to work," she told them, scratching the side of her neck absently as she strode towards the door.

Silently giving Kouga a look that should have melted the demon into a puddle, Sesshoumaru stood and followed the miko to the genkan, turning his back to the wolves in order to give them a sense of privacy.

Kagome's jerkily angry movements halted when Sesshoumaru wistfully brushed his fingers over the scarf draped around her neck. Nimble fingers found her chin and he tilted her head up so that he could meet her gaze.

"I will be here when you return," he vowed, unfailingly fathoming out one of her uncertainties. Kagome's shoulders sagged a little and she smiled a little lopsidedly. "Stay safe," he ordered gently.

Kagome ducked out into the wintery world and Kouga allowed himself to relax a little, even as a faint hope was crushed in his chest.

Kagome was safe, as was her heart. Unfortunately for the wolf, he wasn't the one protecting it.

* * *

A/N: Poor Kouga; his chances are slowly fleeing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter enough to offer me a review. I hope so!


	11. Something Wicked

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was reticent. He enjoyed keeping his thoughts to himself until he deigned to divulge them. Weighing each word carefully before he spoke it. Sesshoumaru was tetchy. He was possibly the only male she'd ever met who'd picked a fight with a cuckoo clock. Sesshoumaru was shameless. She wasn't sure why he'd once deigned to sit around her house stark naked and read, but he'd done it. Without an ounce of self-consciousness. Sesshoumaru was confident. He seemed comfortable in his own skin in an enviable way, and though it could come across as arrogance, there was an undertone of assurance that made his confidence tangibly real.

There wasn't another person like him, Kagome was certain. Perhaps that was why she felt so connected to him, though she'd known him only four days. Kagome was often quick to trust, sometimes offering her trust to the wrong people. But in this case, she felt like her faith was safe with Sesshoumaru.

"If you sigh once more you'll deflate," Aiko jested, nudging Kagome in the ribs with her elbow.

Bringing herself back down to earth, Kagome gave a little wan smile, grateful for the lack of customers in the bakery. "I was just thinking," she hedged airily, scratching the side of her neck absently.

Aiko snorted, her bright red fringe flying out of her light hazel eyes. "You sound love sick, Kagome-chan," she cooed teasingly.

_Is that what it sounds like?_ Kagome wondered, cheeks pinking a little, _maybe that's what it is_... Kagome rolled her eyes at Aiko nonchalantly. "Isn't that you?"

A resounding snap was Aiko's answer as her trusty pink bubblegum bubble popped. "Tch," she grumbled, chewing furiously, "Kenichi-san turned out to be a total jerk."

Pursing her lips, Kagome declined a comment. Aiko worked her way through boyfriends in the same way she worked through pieces of bubblegum.

"But," Aiko drawled, leaning her elbows on the counter and turning to look at Kagome from under her fiery red hair, "Let's talk about your man troubles instead."

"I don't have any man troubles," Kagome waved Aiko's concern off. Sesshoumaru couldn't even be classed as a man – he certainly wasn't a human.

Hazel eyes became knowing. "If you say so," she sang.

Kagome glared playfully at her co-worker. "Fine," she sighed. She had to admit that she could do with a little friendly advice. And she didn't have many female friends to ask for counsel. "Have you ever trusted a _man_," Kagome wrinkled her nose at the term, "even though you didn't know him very well?"

A clipped chortle escape Aiko's lips as she leant her forehead on the cool glass of the display case. "Too many times," she mumbled.

"Did it ever work out?" Kagome ventured tentatively.

"There was a guy I met once," Aiko sounded faraway, "he told me to trust him, but I already did." The red-head sighed gustily. "I may have regretted it, but it changed my life."

Eyebrows furrowing at the note of melancholy the normally cheerful Aiko injected into her tone, Kagome was about to press for more details. But, as luck would have it, the bell above the shop door chimed and they were quite suddenly inundated with customers.

Absently, as she listened with one ear for the customer's order, Kagome reflected. She wondered if Aiko's tale would become her own. It was one thing to sit in a tedious job and wish for an adventure, but it was quite another to be prepared to embrace whatever changes her trust in Sesshoumaru would bring.

But then, Kagome had never been one to hide.

* * *

Kagome wound her scarf around her neck, preparing to go once more into the chilly evening. Hojo stuck his head around the door with a smile.

"You should go visit your mother soon," he chastised softly. "She's worried about the break-ins, not that she'd ever tell you that."

Kagome pursed her lips. Her mother did adore worrying whilst smiling like there was absolutely nothing the matter. Hojo worked in the shrine, or rather he volunteered. With her grandfather getting on in years a helping hand was very much welcome and Hojo had always been the helpful type. Even when he'd been a teenager growing up in the area, he'd helped out for free.

"I will, soon," she promised a little vaguely. She didn't really want to leave Sesshoumaru alone in her flat for an extended period of time – he might kill her cuckoo clock – and if she took him to the shrine... well, his lack of humanity notwithstanding, her mother would have a fit and start talking about grandbabies. Her cheeks were turning red just thinking about the potential mortification.

* * *

Kagome closed the door behind her, leaning against it with a low exhale. Lately, out on the streets, she'd felt vulnerable and alone. Something she'd found only Sesshoumaru's presence could alleviate. Perhaps it had something to do with all the break-ins in the area.

The warmth of her apartment wrapped around her reassuringly. There was something to be said about the security of home. "Sesshoumaru?" she called, unwinding her scarf and hanging it on the coat peg.

"Kagome," he called out and she followed the sound of his voice and the scent of jasmine tea into her living room.

Sesshoumaru sprawled across her sofa in all his languid glory, eyelids at half-mast he was the picture of contentment and Kagome rolled her eyes. It must be nice to be able to laze around all day. She dropped down beside him on the sofa with a long exhale; she felt so tired lately.

"Please tell me you made me a cup," she pleaded.

The corner of Sesshoumaru's lips quirked in an approximation of a smirk. "Here," he murmured, pressing a heated beverage into her numbed hands.

"Ah," she breathed in the soothing aroma, "perfect."

Shifting as though attempting to curl around the mug she clasped to her chest, Kagome brought her legs up under her. Sesshoumaru tensed as her cold toes brushed his leg through the fabric of his hakama.

"You are cold," he observed, wrinkling his nose.

Kagome blinked owlishly. "It's winter."

"Hnn..." he murmured and Kagome bit back her surprise when he pulled her bare feet into his lap, warming them with his large claw-tipped hands.

They sat there in companionable silence for a while, Kagome sipping her tea and Sesshoumaru absently rubbing her feet.

His warming caress soon turned into a soothing massage that somehow managed to relax her and heat her blood simultaneously. She tamped down on little moans of pleasure, though she got the impression that Sesshoumaru knew exactly what he was doing. He was very good with his hands, so good that Kagome nearly forgot something. It was only the jarring chirping of the cuckoo clock that brought her back to the present. "Where are the wolves?" she asked, clearing her voice when the question came out rather huskily.

Sesshoumaru's top lip curled in a sneer. "I informed them that their presence was not required this eve."

Kagome blinked at him. She could just imagine how well that went over with Kouga. The werewolf was nothing if not unrelenting. "Why?" she asked tentatively. The mere mention of the wolves seemed to put him in a detestable mood.

Golden eyes smouldered under his long lashes as he looked at her. There was a long pause; the only sounds in the apartment were the ticking of the cuckoo clock and the sounds of their breathing. Sesshoumaru looked at her as though searching for something and she stared into his angelic face, hoping that he found it.

"I wanted," he paused as though baffled that the word had passed his lips, eyes widening fractionally, "to be alone with you. I did not need them around, getting in the way."

Kagome smiled affectionately. When he put it like that, how could she possibly object to not having company for dinner? Funnily enough, as much as she really liked the wolves, she couldn't find it in her to object to Sesshoumaru's request. She'd missed him, too.

* * *

Snow twirled, dancing in the light of the streetlamp, clinging to the hair of the man who watched. Clinging to his coat, clinging to his eyelashes, coating him in a frost he barely noticed. Eyes glued to the apartment that, up until yesterday, he'd never even noticed.

Almost as if a veil had lifted.

His brilliantly-white fang-bearing smirk stood out in the darkness.

"I spy with my little eye..."

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter guys – I'd love it if you could leave a review!


	12. Target

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Methodically dicing vegetables, Kagome attempted to get lost in her task. Such was an impossibility though, when she could hear the rush of water that signified that Sesshoumaru was currently taking a shower. Thinking about the naked Adonis standing under a spray of hot water was very bad for the concentration and Kagome tried to shake herself out of it before she sliced her finger, again.

With a disparaging sigh, she gathered the diced vegetables in her hands and added them to the wok on the stove. She was absolutely exhausted, more tired than she could even remember being, but she was also ravenous and so, even though her knees threatened to buckle and her eyelids felt heavy, she was cooking.

Behind her, the floorboards creaked and she froze. She could still hear the pipes gurgling as they attempted to cope with Sesshoumaru's shower. Which begged the question, who had stepped on the squeaky floorboard that led into the kitchen?

Tales of violent break-ins surged to the forefront of her mind and she lunged for the knife she used to dice meat.

But she missed the knife by mere inches as an unforgiving hand grasped a hank of her hair and tugged her back into a broad chest. Before she could fathom that she was being attacked, a calloused palm clamped down on her mouth, silencing the scream that had been brewing.

"Not a word," a smooth, dark voice whispered into her ear, his breath rasping against her neck.

She wondered if she was supposed to be paralysed in fear, because, quite frankly, she was merely rather angry at the fact that this man had the nerve to break into her home. Fuelled by her indignant outrage, Kagome hooked her leg around one of her assailant's knees and tugged.

The bewildered invader dropped like a ton of bricks and she shot to the other side of the kitchen. Her hands closed around the knife a fraction of a second too late as her attacker was already after her. This time he made no pretence of being peaceable and slammed the hand with the knife down onto the surface, forcing her to release it with a pained yelp, even as she remained struggling valiantly.

He cursed and grabbed the knife pressing it to the smooth skin of her throat. "Don't move," he whispered, his voice layered with a darker intensity, "little hell cat."

Adrenaline still pumping, Kagome was reckless. "Bite me."

With a low growl her attacker slammed her into the wall of her kitchen, forcing a pained cry from her chest as her back impacted with the wall. Once again he pressed the knife to her throat, this time leaning in with his hips to trap her against the wall.

It was the first time she'd been able to get a good look at her aggressor – he'd been surprising her from behind mostly. And she scowled heavily at the attractive man who held her at knifepoint.

Dark teal eyes stared at her from a tanned, handsome face. A blue cross tattoo was embellished on his forehead and lustrously long black hair was pulled into a thick braid that ran down his back. He dressed in a traditional pair of white hakama and a white haori with a blue patch on one shoulder.

"Where is he?" the man growled, eyes piercing as he looked down at her.

Kagome narrowed her eyes, fear irrationally gripping at her heart at the thought of this man wanting Sesshoumaru. The attacker appeared a little taken aback by something, prompting him to grab her shoulder and slam her back into the wall once more. "What have you done with him, miko-bitch?"

Dispassionately, Kagome realised she should be terrified, but she just felt tired and angry. A small smile made its way onto her nubile features, wrong footing her foe.

"Why the hell are you smiling?" he growled, pressing the knife against her skin so hard that a bead of blood fell, making its way down to the hollow of her throat.

"Because I can't hear the water anymore," Kagome answered with a chirpy grin.

The man appeared to question her sanity for a moment and Kagome kept right on smiling, her grin reaching gruesome proportions when the male's eyes widened in shock.

So quickly that Kagome thought she might be sick, the man spun her so that her back was to his chest. Using her as a human shield even as he pressed a knife to her pulse.

Sesshoumaru stood in the bathroom doorway, a pair of hakama low on his hips. Beads of water ran down his naked chest and his saturated hair clung to his lithe back. Hi narrowed his eyes at the invader, drops of water clinging to his eyelashes. Apparently he hadn't bothered to dry off after his shower.

"Bankotsu," the name rumbled from Sesshoumaru's chest, striking out across the room in an almost physical fashion.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Bankotsu greeted, his voice deceptively calm. "It is good to see you well."

Furrowing her brows in confusion, Kagome glanced up at the man holding a knife to her throat. Was this man the enemy or not? He was certainly talking to Sesshoumaru rather casually.

"Release her, or I will gut you where you stand," Sesshoumaru's monotone was somehow more furious than if he had shouted the words.

Bankotsu's eyebrows arched incredulously at the larger male's demand. "You..." he paused as if seeming not to believe the words coming out of his mouth. "You care about the miko?"

"I do not repeat myself," Sesshoumaru took a measured step forwards, eyes glinting.

Kagome gasped as Bankotsu dropped the knife from her throat, releasing her from his grasp. Turning to look at him as she put a little distance between them, she debated kicking him in the crotch.

"Don't," Sesshoumaru rumbled, his disparaging glance enough to tell her that he knew exactly what she'd been thinking. Rolling her eyes, she continued across the apartment to Sesshoumaru. When she reached his side, the silver-haired Adonis reached out calmly with an arm and tucked her into his side. Kagome nestled into his warmth, uncaring that he was still wet from his shower.

Bankotsu watched the exchange with a blatantly disbelieving stare on his handsome features. "I thought that the miko had captured you," he admitted lowly.

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow twitched at the admission. "You liken me to a weakling to even consider that I had been captured," he hissed, eyes narrowed and deadly.

Holding his hands out, palms up, Bankotsu backed off a little, even though he was already across the apartment from the livid male. "My apologies, but I had been told you had been branded."

"Tch," Sesshoumaru flipped his hair a little arrogantly. "None can contain me entirely, and the assailant missed." Sesshoumaru exposed the side of his neck demonstratively.

"There's nothing there," Bankotsu informed him shortly, looking faintly bemused.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened fractionally as he pressed his thumb to smooth skin. Days ago, it had been livid with a brand to bind his power. This was impossible; you didn't remove a bind, the person who bound you had to die or lift the enchantment. Which meant...

Kagome _eeped_ as Sesshoumaru picked her up by the tops of her arms as effortlessly as if she was a toddler, bring her to eyelevel.

"Sesshoumaru?"

Golden eyes scoured the side of Kagome's neck and he growled low and irately. His golden irises became haloed in red.

"You took it," he murmured, both incredulous and exasperated at Kagome's sheer untrained might as a miko. It took a lot of power to take a binding mark and transfer it... and the ridiculous woman had transferred it onto her own neck! This was why his father had warned him away from untrained priestesses; they always meant well and ended up bring about well-meaning calamities. All of his best laid plans had not included this eventuality.

"Huh?" Kagome touched the side of her neck self-consciously, her feet still dangling above the wooden floor. The raised skin made her eyes widen in a way that would have been comical under different circumstances. "You mean I took your brand?" she exclaimed explosively. "I guess it explains how tired I've been."

Sesshoumaru put her back on her feet and dipped his head so that his forehead rested against hers. "Woman..." he ground out exasperatedly. She grinned at him.

"Which brings me to the fact that up until late last night, I couldn't detect your presence," Bankotsu interjected, "Your mother was worried."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "No, she was gleeful at the chance of a scandal," Sesshoumaru ground out.

"He knows your mother?" Kagome asked, befuddled by the development.

"He is my mother's..." Sesshoumaru's lip curled, "pet assassin."

Bankotsu saluted Kagome and she waved back, a little flabbergasted at the weirdness of the situation. She'd just waved to an assassin for crying out loud. This was getting weirder by the second.

Sesshoumaru continued blithely, eyebrows furrowing. "And, since the brand is now on Kagome, her powers are being bound..."

Kagome blinked a few times, a feeling of dread creeping up on her. "Which means?" she prompted.

"Your power is no longer enough to shroud Sesshoumaru's youki. Which means; we're sitting ducks."

* * *

A/N: Dun, dun, duuun! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'd love it if you could spare a moment to leave a review.


	13. Bullseye

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Legs curled up to her chest, Kagome leant her chin on her knees as she watched Sesshoumaru. Bankotsu's arrival had reduced the beautiful male to a pensive state, his nubile face set in stone as he stared into the middle distance.

Bankotsu, on the other hand, seemed impatient; darting probing glances out of the windows, his fingers grasping as if he was used to holding a sword of some sort. Which was very possible, considering Sesshoumaru had introduced him as an assassin. Kagome darted another nervous glance in the dark haired male's direction; this was the first time she'd ever met an assassin. She'd wager that this week was turning into a montage of the most spectacular moments of her life. How many people got to meet werewolves? Or assassins for that matter.

Spinning abruptly on his heel, Bankotsu stopped pacing and stared at Sesshoumaru urgently. "We need to leave, now, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Kagome hadn't expected those words to hit her like a physical blow. But the mere thought of Sesshoumaru leaving was intolerable.

Folding his hands under his chin, Sesshoumaru leant his elbows on the table. "I will not leave Kagome," he informed Bankotsu shortly, not bothering to even look at the assassin.

A small smile blossomed at Sesshoumaru's words and Kagome hugged herself a little tighter.

"What, you want us to take her with us?" Bankotsu exclaimed, gesturing wildly with one hand. "That would spell trouble on so many levels!"

Darting a rather irked glance at the man who had broken into her apartment, Kagome grouched, "Don't talk about me like I'm not here."

Golden eyes flicked to Bankotsu's face. "You would leave her to the hands of the monsters who would undoubtedly come for me and find her?" his tone was dark, sending a shiver running down Kagome's spine.

The dark haired assassin ran a hand over his face. "They'd leave her alone if she didn't know anything," he hedged, his voice sounding disbelieving even as he spoke the words.

Sesshoumaru's bald look of scepticism spoke volumes. "Hnn... I will not leave Kagome."

Kagome clapped, startling the two males from their debate, and met Sesshoumaru's stare with a gimlet glare. "Okay. I've been very understanding up until this point, Sesshoumaru. But you still haven't quite explained what you are, who is after you or why your mother has an assassin for that matter," her tone grew incredulous towards the end of her little tirade. "I need answers," she finished, simply, earnestly.

With a sigh that was very unlike him, Sesshoumaru spoke, "I am a demon."

There was a long silence filled by the ticking of her cuckoo clock and Bankotsu' impatient huffing. Kagome titled her head to one side, wondering at the severity reflected in his smouldering gaze. Sure, it was strange to hear him actually say it, but she'd suspected it since her talk with the werewolves. In fact, having her cupcake-baking, veterinarian acquaintance explain that he was a werewolf had been more perturbing, not helped by the fact that Hakkaku had been naked at the time.

"Thought so," Kagome murmured with a slight incline of her head.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "Pardon?" he asked, tone slightly staggered by her announcement.

Kagome waved a hand as if it was no big deal. "When you were unconscious, I had a chat with the wolves. They told me that legend has it they were descended from demons; that, due to your power, you were probably a demon."

Jaw clenching, Sesshoumaru tamped down on his ire; for some reason he loathed the thought of Kagome entertaining private conversations with the wolves.

"The wolf demons were always stubborn bastards," Bankotsu scoffed, folding his strong arms across his broad chest. "When the demons grew tired of humankind and created their own plane of existence, the Makai, the wolf demons refused to relinquish their claims on the land. Territorial idiots."

"Ma-makai?" Kagome repeated, a little flabbergasted. She swung her gaze back to Sesshoumaru. "Is that where you were talking about leaving to?"

Sesshoumaru inclined his head, silver hair cascading over his shoulder in a silver waterfall. Kagome slumped back in her seat, legs akimbo as she absorbed that little titbit. Could anything else possibly happen to her this week? Or had she finally received her weekly quota of crazy?

Still feeling antsy, apparently, Bankotsu didn't wait for Kagome to recover from this newest revelation, instead he slammed his hands down on the back of the sofa, making her jump and squeak.

"We need to leave," he growled, "Now!"

Sesshoumaru's gaze sharpened and he flicked a probing glance at the wooden flooring beneath Kagome's feet.

A groan. A creak. They all turned suspicious eyes on the wood beneath their feet.

"They're here," he murmured.

Before Kagome could process his words enough to begin to panic, an almost invisible projectile launched through the floor at Bankotsu's feet. The assassin cursed, jumping away a little too slowly, judging by the sudden gash on his cheek.

"Kageromaru," he rumbled, wiping away the blood absently. The assassin reeled, dodging an attacker Kagome couldn't see, and receiving a bloody arm for his troubles. "Fast little bastard."

Sesshoumaru snarled, leaping at Kagome and pulling her into his arms just as the floor at her feet exploded. From her position slung over Sesshoumaru's shoulder, Kagome watched Sesshoumaru slap away something she couldn't see. It was moving so fast, she wondered how her two otherworldly companions were dealing with a threat they couldn't see.

"You would deny me a treat so delicious, Sesshoumaru-sama?" a disembodied voice chuckled. Kagome shuddered, closing her eyes and clinging to Sesshoumaru like a kitten on a tree branch.

Blue eyes popped open when Sesshoumaru conjured something akin to a glowing green whip in one hand.

"Sessh—"

"Hush," he murmured, glowering at the floor as he appeared to listen intently.

Lithe, fluid and deadly, even with a human slung over his shoulder, Sesshoumaru's whip came down with unerring accuracy, just as their attacker burst through the floorboards once more.

The resulting collision knocked the intruder into the far wall with a crunch, creating a crater in the plaster. The body slid down, clattering onto the hardwood floor.

Kagome peered at the little thing; it was the first time she'd been able to even distinguish it and she half-wished she hadn't caught a glimpse. It was an ugly little thing; a human head with silvery hair on a little eel like body with twin razor sharp pincers propping it up.

"Ew."

"Filth," Sesshoumaru agreed nonchalantly.

The creepy prawn-like thing growled at them.

"And where he is," Bankotsu grumbled, "you can bet Juromaru isn't far behind."

As if summoned by his name, Kagome's door exploded off its hinges for the second time that week, this time admitting a silver haired man in a traditional green and yellow kimono.

"Stop breaking my house!" Kagome roared.

Sesshoumaru's hand came down sharply on her bottom, eliciting a shriek of outrage from the woman. "Remain calm," he warned.

"Easy for you to say," she huffed, blowing her hair out of her face.

"Who sent you?" Bankotsu directed his question at Kageromaru, which Kagome found a little strange considering he was definitely not the most humanoid.

"It doesn't matter," Kageromaru sneered, "because you're dinner!"

Kagome shrieked, clinging to Sesshoumaru's hair for stability as her demon pounced, rending the shrimp-thing into halves with a decisive slash of his whip. Bankotsu, who had been tackled by Juromaru, landed hard on the table, breaking the poor thing into firewood and splinters. With a deft flick of his knees, he sent Juromaru sailing over head... straight into Sesshoumaru's waiting whip.

Kagome closed her eyes tightly. Seeing a shrimp-thing rendered in two was a lot easier than watching a man-shaped thing suffer the same fate. Eventually she prised her eyes open only to find bubbling stains on the hardwood floor.

Sesshoumaru inspected his glowing claws nonchalantly. "I melted their corpses."

How considerate, she mused. Though she wondered a little vaguely what else he had up his sleeve. A whip that could rip a person in two and claws that could melt a body down in a few seconds.

"That was easy," Kagome commented, a trace of motion-sickness dampening her bemusement. "And if you ever move that fast with me on your back again I'll be sick all over your shiny hair."

"Hnn..." Sesshoumaru demurred, smacking her bottom once more, inciting a growl from the human woman, and triggering her to tug on his hair.

Bankotsu pursed his lips wryly. "You guys need some privacy?"

The dual growls from both the demon and the human were enough to make even a fearless assassin back off.

"Seriously, though," Bankotsu mused, "they underestimated us by sending these clowns."

"They did not know of your presence," Sesshoumaru hypothesised, returning Kagome to her feet. "And they still expected me to be branded."

"Presumptuous," Kagome scoffed.

Bankotsu grinned at the little feisty human woman; he could see why Sesshoumaru liked her. "We should go; before reinforcements arrive." From the folds of his haori his pulled a beautiful deep blue stone set in a gold disk.

"It's pretty," Kagome murmured, peering at the trinket, "but it isn't a car."

The two males blinked bemusedly at her for a moment and Kagome waved their curious gazes away. "It doesn't matter."

"It is a meido seki," Sesshoumaru intoned, taking the stone from Bankotsu. "A tool of my mother's which can open portals to any realm, if used correctly."

"And if you can't use it properly, it sends you straight to hell," Bankotsu expanded with a roll of his eyes.

Startled by that little announcement, Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru with wide eyes. "You know how to work it, right?"

Tucking the petite miko under one arm, Sesshoumaru answered, a devilish twinkle in his eyes as his face remained a stoic mask. "Do you trust me?"

Kagome gazed into those smouldering golden eyes and gulped. Because she did trust him, even if he was about to lead her into hell.

And they were cast into the void.

* * *

A/N: As I was writing this, I imagined the fit Kouga would throw when he found the apartment tomorrow morning ^_^ Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! Please leave a review; it'd make my day!


	14. Meeting Mother

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Eyes half-closed in boredom, Nami gazed languidly at her favourite garden in all of its beautiful summer glory. The servants had drawn open the screen doors for her, and she passed her time staring out at the ever blooming flowers. In her shiro, the weather did as she dictated and the plants bloomed as she willed it. This little novelty was the talk of the ladies of high society, and many an honourable lady had attempted to prise the secret from Nami's closed lips. She could have told them, but she simply enjoyed watching them squirm with jealousy.

Though quite a beautiful parlour trick, it failed to amuse her on this day. Idly, she reached across the nearby chabudai and moved a piece on the shogi board with her long claws. The bemused scholar who had been corralled and forced into playing his esteemed mistress, gulped at the decisive move; once again, she'd bested him.

A slight smile curled at the left corner of her painted mouth. "You can go now, Daichi-san," she murmured. The scholar sketched a wry bow; he could leave, now that she'd finished displaying her superiority and thoroughly humbling him.

A faint gust of wind sent a shiver down the spine of her cherry blossom tree, the blossoms escaping their parent to mingle freely with the wind. Closing her magenta-lined eyelids, the lady relaxed under the caress of the blossoms as they fell. One brushed the crescent moon of her brow and its brothers became caught in the luxurious silver tresses held back from her face with opulent hairpins.

"Nami-sama," a subdued voice filled the peaceful silence, "Our guest is leaving us?"

Nami turned intelligent golden eyes onto her bowing maidservant. "I have grown tired of the spectacle," she purred, tapping her razor sharp red claws on the wooden tabletop. "Besides... my son is coming home."

* * *

Their arrival in the makai was heralded by an extremely loud splash. The once spectacularly enchanting lake in the shiro was now cast into turbulence with the sudden entrance of Bankotsu.

From their vantage point on a polished bridge stretching the once peaceful lake, Sesshoumaru and Kagome were in prime position to watch the very wet assassin emerge from the water, wearing a lily pad on his head in a very jaunty fashion.

"You did that on purpose," Kagome niggled, pushing at Sesshoumaru's arm admonishingly.

The youkai seemed unrepentant, even as Bankotsu cursed under his breath as he waded to the bank of the lake.

"Hnn..." Sesshoumaru demurred, "I could have dropped him in hell."

Rolling her eyes, Kagome took a moment to take in the truly breathtaking scenery. The sprawling shiro surrounded them on all sides, an old world charm captured with a polished sheen. Kagome had seen traditional housing before, having grown up on a shrine, but this was sumptuous to the extreme.

"How big is this place?" Kagome asked, eyeing the sprawling corridors, vast rooms and multiple gardens.

"This is the royal palace, at the centre of the shiro," Sesshoumaru informed her, "Mother resides here. But the shiro itself is extensive, spanning a ridiculous distance that mother insisted upon." He talked about his mother as if he was constantly rolling his eyes.

"You're royalty?" Kagome asked, taken aback by this latest revelation.

He raised one delicate silver eyebrow, as if to say 'Can't you tell?' and she stifled a giggle. Considering he was still damp from his recent shower and only clad in a pair of hakama that rode low on his striped hips, no, she couldn't tell that he was of royal lineage. The haughty tilt of his chin prevented her from telling him such.

"It's beautiful," she praised wryly.

A veritable flurry of sakura blossoms fluttered across the scene, and a still-damp Bankotsu stood to attention, directing a reverent bow at the manicured pavilion behind Kagome. Turning on her heel, Kagome was just in time to watch a beautiful silver-haired woman float along the wooden floorboards towards them.

Wearing a beautiful lilac junhitoe, silky silver hair styled into elegant coils and an expression of intrigued aloofness, the woman glided along on a cloud of immense power.

She had to be related to Sesshoumaru.

Golden eyes glimpsed her assassin, and the corner of her painted lips quirked upwards sardonically. "I hope you didn't startle my koi, Bankotsu-kun," she cooed teasingly.

Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru uncertainly when, impossibly, his spine straightened even more. His eyes narrowed and, though he'd always been fairly stoic in her presence, a cold mask fell over his nubile features.

"Sesshoumaru," the woman greeted with a smile laced with a false sweetness and full of fangs, "So nice of you to drop in."

"Haha-ue-sama," Sesshoumaru acknowledged, dipping his head marginally.

The beautiful woman pursed her lips marginally, managing to pull off a tiny pout and still retain her air of superiority.

"And here I was, hoping for a warm greeting from my estranged son," she purred, tapping her claws along the railing musingly.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at his mother, fractionally.

Those painted lips quirked at her son's belligerent silence and she turned those probing golden eyes onto Kagome, who suddenly felt three inches tall and terribly underdressed.

"As my son is being rude, I will have to introduce myself; I am Nami, ruler of the Western Lands of the makai," she proclaimed with a regal flourish of her elegantly clawed hand.

Swallowing the sense of inferiority, Kagome tilted her chin and straightened her spine. "I'm Higurashi Kagome. Pleased to meet you."

Those golden eyes glittered. "Then I mustn't be making enough of an impression," she purred forebodingly.

"Haha-ue-sama," Sesshoumaru ground out admonishingly.

Throwing her head back in a nerve-jangling parody of a titter, the lady gestured to the pavilion behind her. "Come, let us continue this inside. Bankotsu-kun, if you get mud on my newly polished floors... there'll be hell to pay~" The last was thrilled in a falsely chirpy sing-song and Bankotsu – the big bad assassin – actually flinched.

* * *

With a sigh, the dark-haired man sat back on his haunches, satisfied at the repairs he'd just finished on Kagome's poor wooden floor. Youki polluted the house still, speaking of a battle beyond the understanding of most humans. He'd need to perform a purification of the house.

Straightening, he glanced at the fallen door and, shaking back his haori sleeves, he moved to fix the poor door – that had been abused more than once this week. Except, this time, it had splintered down the middle, meaning he'd need to purchase another and fit it for her. He doubted she'd appreciate coming home to find some stray housecats had made her home theirs.

"The trouble you get into, Kagome-chan," he hummed as he cleared away the wreckage surrounding the door.

Dutifully sweeping up the wood splinters with a brush he'd borrowed from Kagome's pantry, he missed the entrance of Kouga, blue eyes blazing, a low growl tumbling from his throat.

"Who the hell are you?" Menace poured from the wolf's voice.

Sensing a faint feeling of hostility, the dark haired man turned, raising his hands, palms up in a gesture of peace. The werewolf merely increased the volume and ferocity of his growling.

"I understand that the situation isn't that easy to understand," the man placated the irate wolf.

"Where is Kagome-san?"

The man smiled mischievously. "I wonder, would you believe me if I told you?"

"Try me," Kouga growled, attempting to take an intimidating step forwards and colliding with a fizzling barrier of pure energy.

The monk opposite him smiled winsomely. "How about we start with introductions? I'm Ito Miroku, pleased to meet you, werewolf-san."

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed my little update. I've had a chaotic week, so I was pleased to actually get this out! I'd love it if you could leave me a review.


	15. Home Sweet Home

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

With the doors to the plum blossom garden slid open, the pavilion they were assembled in seemed as a frame to the otherworldly masterpiece outside. Kagome was vaguely reminded of school trips to the Kyoto Botanical garden, except the perfection here was frosted with gilded glory the likes of which the human world was unable to replicate.

The rhythmic thunk of the shishi-odoshi and the splash of water intruded on the stilted silence of the room. Kagome shifted nervously on her opulent zabuton, very aware of how at home Nami seemed as she performed the traditional tea ceremony with minimal fuss and maximum grace. Though she was merely sat across the chabudai from Nami, Kagome felt as though the distance between them stretched light-years.

Beside her, sitting on the zabuton as though it was made of shards of glass, Sesshoumaru glowered at the Kakemono hanging on the wall behind his mother as if it had done her a grievance. Not knowing quite where to put herself, Kagome accepted her cup of tea with a sharp bob of her head.

With a slow, sly smile, Nami brought her cup to her painted lips and stared at her son searchingly. Stone-faced, Sesshoumaru ignored her probing stare, his clawed fingers closing around his teacup absently. A chuckle escaped those blood red lips, and the intimidating demoness turned her probing golden gaze on Kagome.

"So, tell me, little human, why are you here?" Nami asked, her tone lilting and airy but with an undercurrent of steel that made ignoring her impossible.

"Sesshoumaru brought me," Kagome paraphrased, darting a sidelong look at her statue of a companion. He blinked slowly and continued to stare at the wall hanging. Kagome could concede to its intricate beauty, but she'd bet he didn't really see it; he was avoiding his mother even as he occupied the same room as her. Kagome couldn't help but feel a little abandoned by his deliberate distance.

Nami tapped her painted claws against her cheek and narrowed her eyes. "Now, why would my son do something like that? Humans were forbidden from trespassing in my home when my palace still resided in the ningenkai, many thousands of years ago. Why would one be welcome now?"

Kagome swallowed, biting her lip as she prayed for some kind of intervention. Sesshoumaru's mother was staring at her as if she was a particularly interesting insect that had gotten caught in her tea. It was unnerving.

"Your pet assassin is human," Sesshoumaru scoffed, still not deigning to glance at his mother.

With an airy wave of her hand, Nami disputed, "Bankotsu _was_ human, before I reanimated him. Now he is... other."

Choking on her tea, Kagome ducked her head in embarrassment. That had been quite a revelation; Bankotsu had seemed as alien as these two demons and just as deadly. And what on earth did 'reanimated' mean when applied to the assassin? She had a vivid image of Bankotsu as a zombie in her mind's eye.

"Still," Nami rallied, with a smug little tilt of her chin and a flick of her elegantly styled silver tresses, "as a human she will be in danger in the makai. Many here do love a tasty human maiden."

"What?" Kagome yelped, eyes widened to the point that it hurt. Strangely, when Sesshoumaru announced he was a demon, she hadn't thought about this particular aspect of akuma. When she'd been a child, her grandfather had spun many a tale of fierce human-eating, maiden-devouring, flesh-consuming demons.

A soft snort came from the demon beside her. "None would hurt a being under my protection."

A little relieved to hear him pledge his protection – though it was in a very vague way – Kagome shot him a small smile.

"Ara!" Nami exclaimed, seeming to faintly tingle with vicious excitement. "So, you're protecting her now?"

At last, Sesshoumaru met his mother's catty stare with narrowed eyes and an air of malice about him. "Indeed," he pledged gravely.

The Western Lady clapped her hands together sharply, the sound startling Kagome enough to make her jump, even as Nami chortled. "Such fun!"

"Tch," Sesshoumaru muttered, standing abruptly and, with minimal effort, pulling Kagome to her feet by the top of her left arm.

"Leaving so soon?" Nami asked, a definite teasing pout in her tone.

"Hnn..." Sesshoumaru grumbled, dragging a stumbling Kagome to the door.

"But you never visit!" Nami protested lightly, "And I am your mother, Sesshoumaru."

Dark golden eyes flung fire at the sitting demoness. "You are also a meddler," he harrumphed, dragging the little human from the room with a haughty swish of his hair.

"Such fun," Nami repeated reflectively as she sipped once more from her teacup. Life around her luxurious – yet stuffy – home could get a little dull at times, and it seemed adding the dark haired human girl to the mix would provide oodles of entertainment. She could hardly wait.

The door drew open once more and Nami quirked a brow at the human girl standing there. With a quick respectful bow, the human half-yelled, "It was nice to meet you!" And then her son stepped into view, bent his shoulder to her stomach and lifted her. A high pitched _eep_ caught as her son – once cold and dispassionate – carried a wench away over his shoulder.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Nami threw back her head and cackled.

* * *

From her position slung over Sesshoumaru's broad shoulder, she was in prime place to watch baffled servants, stunned noble folk, curious scholars and bamboozled soldiers stare at them as Sesshoumaru strode through the shiro. Truthfully, she couldn't blame them for their bafflement; it wasn't every day you saw the heir to the Western lands of the makai stride through the shiro with a woman slung casually over his shoulder as if it was completely normal behaviour.

Slapping his broad back with the flats of both hands, she hissed, "Sesshoumaru! Put me down; people are staring!"

Of course, being Sesshoumaru, there was no verbal response. Instead, he smacked her bottom lightly, causing her to hiss in outrage like a startled cat. There was a certain indignity to being handled entirely like a tantrum-throwing two year old.

Still feeling rather indignant, Kagome missed the moment Sesshoumaru stepped into one of the may beautiful gardens, and again attempted to get him to put her down. "Sesshou—"

With a slight bend of his knees, the duo shot up into the air, ending Kagome's attempt at Sesshoumaru's name with a startled high pitched shriek. Clinging onto his waist, she pressed her face against his broad back and shut her eyes tightly; moving this fast was positively nauseating!

When their paced suddenly slowed, the air no longer beating at her skin as if she was in the middle of a storm, Kagome chanced opening her eyes and froze in shock. They were flying. On a... cloud?

Apparently, a whip that could cut demons in half was not the only magic Sesshoumaru packed in his arsenal. Calming down a little, Kagome glanced around, awe flooding her system as she finally discovered the scale of the western shiro, and it was positively Brobdignagian. She'd never seen anything so sprawling and beautiful.

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously.

"Home," Sesshoumaru answered simply, a deep contentment thrumming in his voice as he pointed at a smaller shiro attached to the Western Lady's grand home. Obviously his mother sought to keep him close, though, judging by the way it was built as far away from Nami's quarters as possible, Sesshoumaru didn't share Nami's feelings about closeness.

Far away from the manicured splendour of Nami's shiro, Sesshoumaru's home was a simple, traditional affair, bringing to mind the shrine she had grown up in. Though, Sesshoumaru's quarters were less worn and more cared for. The large flower garden contained within the property lacked the manicured poise of Nami's colour coordinated gardens, instead seeming as a natural flower field. The pond wasn't filled with glamorous koi but inhabited by all manner of wildlife and, with its murky depths, managed to look faintly mysterious.

Sesshoumaru's bare feet touched down silently on the lovingly polished floors of his quarters and Kagome was immediately struck with the silence that permeated the air. In the main shiro, there had been servants and soldiers and scholars and the air had been filled with the bustle of life. Sesshoumaru's quarters appeared to be devoid of anyone and in some ways, the solitude suited the demon lord.

Something occurred to her as he placed her carefully back onto her own two feet. "I thought you had servants?" she queried, recalling a time when he'd said as such.

"I have one vassal," Sesshoumaru murmured, "who is loud enough to be twenty."

Kagome turned to the demon, about to question his strange statement, when a small shrieking green thing rounded the corner at top speeds.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" it crowed delightedly, hurtling towards them at an impressive speed for someone with legs so short, "this Jaken was so worried for you!"

Unfortunately, due to the speed the little beaked Jaken was travelling, he failed to apply the brakes in time and hurtled straight into Sesshoumaru's hakama clad knee, bouncing off onto the polished floor with a faint _oomph_. From his new position on the floor, the little green man threw himself into a low reverant bow.

"This Jaken appologies!" he yelped, "I was simply worried about my lord and let my happiness get the better of me."

He spoke so quickly and in such high pitched tones that it was nearly impossible to make out what he was saying. Cowering as though he expected Sesshoumaru to kick him, Jaken had obviously failed to notice Kagome yet.

"Rise, Jaken," Sesshoumaru muttered, sounding bored and leading Kagome to wonder if this dramatic behaviour wasn't the norm for Jaken.

The little vassal rose and darted a surprised glance at Kagome. "You went to the ningenkai, my lord?" he ventured tentatively.

"Hnn..."

Jaken looked Kagome up and down critically and Kagome shifted a little uncomfortably. He was looking at her in the same way she looked at a fish in the market.

"And brought back a snack?" Jaken fished cautiously.

The indignity of being thought of by a diminutive green thing as a snack made Kagome bristle and she opened her mouth to yell at Jaken, when Sesshoumaru grabbed her shoulder. Pushing her forwards, he _accidentally_ knocked the little green thing off his feet.

"Prepare dinner for two this eve, Jaken," Sesshoumaru commanded in a dry tone of voice, "and assemble a room for our guest."

She had the bizarre urge to turn around and poke her tongue out at Jaken, but she resisted, barely. With the urge firmly quashed, she turned to gaze at Sesshoumaru's profile as he led her through a maze of corridors, speculation in her gaze.

"Have you ever eaten a human?" she asked suddenly, startling Sesshoumaru enough that he raised an incredulous brow.

"No," he replied with a slight quirk of his lips, "humans taste disgusting."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, somehow quite offended by his statement, but calmed down as she realised that it was a silly thing to get angry about. After all, who wanted to be told they were tasty by a predator?

"Jaken, on the other hand, is a kappa," Sesshoumaru continued, a fully fledged smirk taking up residence on his lips. "And, as such, humans were his primary food source until the formation of the makai."

Kagome's eyes widened dramatically, and she made a note not to occupy the same space as him on her own. "What does he eat now?"

"Fish," Sesshoumaru replied with a lazy quirk of a silvery eyebrow.

"Oh," she mumbled, a little underwhelmed by the very normal response.

And then the breath was knocked out of her, the underwhelmed feeling washed away by the beautiful wall hanging in an alcove. It depicted a fearsome, regal dog with snow white fur as it lifted its head to the skies, dwarfing the trees surrounding it.

"Wow, that's beautiful," Kagome whispered, leaning closer for a better look.

Sesshoumaru's lip curled. "Hnn..."

"What?" she flicked him an incredulous look, "I've never seen such a magnificent dog."

"Tch," Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, "I am not a dog; I am an Inu Yokai."

Kagome blinked at him, uncomprehending, glancing from the regal white haired inu yokai stood in front of her and the portrait of a regal white furred inu yokai standing on four legs. The proverbial light bulb flicked on.

"That's you?" she whispered, eyes wide, "You turn into a _really_ big puppy?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed further, until he was gazing at her through slits. "I am not a puppy."

Kagome threw back her head, uncontrollable laughter making her belly ache. Sesshoumaru watched her little fit of giggles stone faced, which only prompted more tittering. Finally, she regained enough sense, and breath, to gasp, "Fluff-zilla," and then she was lost again to the tide of her uncontrollable laughter.

* * *

A/N: After a day full of computer problems, I'm so glad to finally post this chapter. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks so much for reading! If you have a minute, I'd love a review.


	16. New Experiences

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Sesshoumaru had patiently waited for Kagome to overcome her laughing fit, though, when she had recovered her sense, she informed him mirthfully that his sour expression had done nothing to help stop her giggling. Now, she followed behind Sesshoumaru, a secret smile playing on her lips as she watched him move.

Since he'd neglected to put on a haori, she could clearly see the play of muscles in his back as he moved; something she found almost hypnotic. She was grateful for his turned back as she could only guess that he might take offence to her ogling.

Absently, she was attempting to remember the twists and turns of the corridor Sesshoumaru was leading her down, but, after a little while, she consigned herself to getting hopelessly lost if she ever had to go anywhere alone. Eventually, Sesshoumaru glided to a stop at a door and slid it open, gesturing for her to precede him into a large room occupied by a chabudai and two zabuton.

Claiming a zabuton, she slumped down; she was incredibly tired after the day she'd had. Sesshoumaru quirked a brow at her sigh antics and sat opposite her in perfect seiza. She glowered at him, daring him to call her out on her slumped, cross-legged posture. Wisely, he kept quiet.

"We must discuss something," Sesshoumaru began, leaning his elbows on the table and leaning forwards slightly.

"How about we discuss you not throwing me over your shoulder like I'm a sack of rice ever again?" Kagome suggested, voice layered with false sweetness as she narrowed her eyes at him.

Continuing as though she hadn't said anything, Sesshoumaru murmured, "It would be best if we don't mention your miko heritage whilst you are here –"

"A heritage I'm not even sure I have," Kagome cut in grumpily.

"You are already a curiosity, a human in the makai, but learning that you have abilities to harm demon-kind whilst you cannot use them... that would be painting a giant bull's-eye on your back," Sesshoumaru finished, frowning slightly as he tacked on, "we need to find away to remove the brand from your neck so that you have access to your powers once again."

Kagome thunked her head down onto the table top and groaned. "This is ridiculous," she mumbled, her voice muffled from her position. She was almost bent double as if she was trying to make herself into the smallest target possible.

"Hnn..." Sesshoumaru concurred. Silence swept in and Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome seemed to shrink into herself.

"When can I go home?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed at the tiny voice. She reminded him of a scared child at that moment and he couldn't blame her. Everyone had their breaking point; she'd been accosted by an assassin, nearly killed by two demons, travelled to a world that was not her own and then she'd met his mother, possibly the worst thing to end an entirely incredible day.

"I'm not sure," he spoke truthfully, knowing that a kind lie would do her no good in the long run. "Possibly not until we discover who tried to dispose of me."

Kagome's shoulders sagged slightly and Sesshoumaru's hands twitched. He really didn't know quite how to cope with her sudden depression. He'd never had to comfort anyone before and his emotional impotence made him twitch.

"You took care of me," Sesshoumaru murmured, in a desperate attempt at consoling her, "Now it is my turn to take care of you."

Kagome's shoulders shook and Sesshoumaru felt a momentary panic seize him as he wondered if she was crying. Tears could only make this situation worse; he'd always hated it when females shed tears. He'd experienced his fair share of crocodile tears, they were tedious, and only on a few occasions had he experienced real tears; they were terrifying.

Then Kagome peeked up at him from under her fringe with those big blue eyes and smiled. "That was sweet, Sesshoumaru," she praised, her grin impish, "who'd have known you had it in you?"

Ignoring the heated feeling of embarrassment over being called sweet of all things, Sesshoumaru lifted his chin, the tips of his ears pinking. "Hnn..."

She laughed, though it was a little shaky and Sesshoumaru basked in relief. He much preferred it when Kagome was happy and feisty.

"Come," he beckoned, standing to his full height in a fluid movement, "we will eat."

Kagome started at the abrupt movement and stood a little clumsily as one of her legs had fallen asleep. Gratefully she took Sesshoumaru's proffered hand to stabilise herself before she fell over.

"What's for dinner?" she asked curiously as he led her back down the winding hallway to another room. She wasn't sure what Jaken would cook for a human's consumption, or if he was even aware of what humans ate.

Sesshoumaru inhaled through his nose and pursed his lips. "Gyudon," he murmured.

"Oh," Kagome bleated, surprised once again by the normality of the food.

Following his nose, Sesshoumaru led Kagome to another room, this one containing a chabudai once again. Only this table was laden with dishes, Kagome inhaled hungrily; the Gyudon in particular smelled good.

"I prefer meat to fish," Sesshoumaru admitted as he sat in a controlled seiza opposite Kagome.

Kagome grinned as she rolled her chopsticks between her two hands. "A growing puppy needs his meat?" she teased

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed; if she was well enough to tease him than her early maudlin behaviour had passed but still, he was most certainly not a puppy. Responding to her comment in kind, however, would make her think she was winning, so he tilted his chin up defiantly, ignoring the chortles Kagome was attempting to muffle behind her fingers.

* * *

Kagome sprawled across the wooden floor with casual abandon, lying on her stomach with her bent at the knees. Sesshoumaru sat beside her, quietly indulging her whim of wanting to sit and admire the flower field he kept.

"Kagome," he murmured, eventually breaking the companionable silence and catching the daydreaming woman's attention.

"I really love this garden," Kagome commented airily, "it's so relaxing out here I could almost fall asleep."

Sesshoumaru pursed his lips. "Be that as it may, we have business to take care of."

Kagome shot him a sidelong glance and quirked an eyebrow.

"You are a human in the makai," he informed her shortly, "as such I will need to infuse you with some of my youki in order for you to survive."

Kagome blinked, remembering he'd said something about this back in the ningenkai, informing her that the reason he had collapsed that day was because of this 'culture shock'.

"Oh," she mumbled, sitting up slightly.

And then he moved forwards, taking her completely off guard and forcing her to tumble backwards a little, but still he followed. And then, with delicacy that dumbfounded her, he pressed his lips to hers.

For a moment she revelled in the way his lips moulded to hers and then her sanity returned and she shrieked, backing away fast.

The demon quirked a brow at her, apparently surprised by her antics.

"Look, Sesshoumaru," she bid him, "you may be gorgeous but you can't just do that without permission!" she forbade him, though part of her argued that he could do _that_ whenever he wanted.

A look of complete confusion veiled Sesshoumaru's features. "I told you I was transferring my youki to you," he murmured, his tone implying that she'd overreacted.

Kagome blushed all the way to the roots of her hair. "Oh."

Astute golden eyes took in her bashful countenance, even as she ducked her head and Sesshoumaru ventured, "Why did you respond as such? A kiss is only a means to share energy."

Kagome's head shot up at that statement and she gaped at him like a startled fish. "What?"

"In human culture a kiss means something else?" Sesshoumaru fished intently.

The blush was back, this time worse than ever. "It's something between lovers," she whispered, "as a sign of affection." There was no way this situation could get any more mortifying.

She chanced a glance at his expression as he appeared to mull this over.

Finally, he spoke, "When you kissed me, after I had fallen unconscious, did you know it would revive me?"

Kagome wanted the ground to open up and swallow her; it _had_ gotten more embarrassing.

"No," she all but whispered, resisting the urge to duck her head and staring into his golden eyes instead.

Sesshoumaru's expression remained unreadable for a moment before he prowled forwards and pressed his lips to hers once more. This time, his kiss lingered.

Pulling back, he surveyed her dazed expression and pinked cheeks greedily and announced offhandedly, "I believe I see the appeal."

Kagome laughed shakily; introducing Sesshoumaru to human culture was getting better by the minute.

* * *

Kagome stared up at the ceiling and sighed gustily. The room Jaken had prepared for her was a beautiful warm room and she was snuggled under a heavy bedcovering cosily. But still, she couldn't sleep. She could perhaps have blamed her insomnia on the fact that the futon was on the floor and she was used to a raised futon, but she couldn't lie to herself.

The reason she couldn't sleep was because Sesshoumaru wasn't beside her. She'd grown accustomed to the large demon taking up most of the room on her bed, accustomed to his deep soothing breathing, accustomed to the scent of his hair and the heat of his body.

Punching her pillow in frustration, Kagome rolled over onto her side. In Sesshoumaru's shiro, there were plenty of rooms, plenty of beds and she had no excuse to wander across the hall to his bedroom.

She was being pitiful, she decided firmly, she'd slept alone before Sesshoumaru had come along and she could do it again. Doing some deep breathing exercises that her Grandfather had taught her, Kagome finally managed to calm down but still sleep evaded her. Growling she thrashed this way and that in her futon, attempting to get comfortable in a bed that suddenly felt like it was made of wood.

The door to the room slid back and Kagome shrieked in shock before she recovered enough to make out Sesshoumaru's silhouette in the doorway.

Through languidly drooping eyelids, he stared at her and calmly spoke, "Is there something the matter?"

"No," she mumbled, feeling silly for missing him so much when she hardly knew him.

"Then why are you thrashing about like a landed fish?" he enquired exasperatedly.

"I can do whatever I like!" she retorted snippily, lack of sleep making her irritable, "You said this was my room to use however I pleased."

Sesshoumaru ran a hand down his handsome face. "You were making quite a din," he pointed out, tapping a pointed ear, "my hearing is a lot more advanced than yours."

Kagome looked away, feeling guilty that she had been keeping him from sleeping too. With a sigh, Sesshoumaru slid the door closed and stepped into the room. Kagome watched mutely as he lifted back the covers and slid into the futon alongside her.

"What do you think you're doing?" She'd meant for it to come out as indignant, but it sounded more like a breathy whisper.

"You are like a puppy, seeking warmth and reassurance in a alien place," he commented as his glorious spun silver hair fanned out around them, immersing Kagome in his delicious scent.

"You're the puppy," she mumbled sleepily, latching onto a lock of his hair and winding it around her index finger. Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, secure in the knowledge that she couldn't see the gesture in the dimly lit room.

Listening intently as her breathing evened out and she drifted into slumber, Sesshoumaru finally relaxed. He knew that this little human was softening him, but right now he couldn't find it in him to care.

This was the most content he could remember being.

If only it could last...

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'd love it if you could leave me a review!


	17. Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

He'd seen bloodbaths and massacres, he'd sliced and diced his way through armies of immortals, he'd been staked, gutted and almost decapitated. But this was perhaps more terrifying. For all his prowess on the battlefield, the sight of his mother sat comfortably at his table, opposite a sleep-mussed Kagome still wearing the sleeping yukata he'd given her– it was truly unnerving.

"This is late for you," Nami commented slyly, as she poured the tea into Kagome's proffered teacup.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed even as he ran a hand through his hair, smoothing out the knots caused by sleep.

"And so heavily did you sleep that you failed to notice Kagome sliding out of your futon," Nami continued, her voice lilting and sing-song. Sesshoumaru had hoped his keen eyed mother would have neglected to notice – or to mention – that little truth, certainly because he'd never hear the end of it but mostly because of Kagome's reaction.

Kagome choked on her sip of tea and, with a put upon air, Sesshoumaru pat her on the back until she recovered the ability to breathe. With red cheeks and watering eyes, she peered at Sesshoumaru's mother.

"We were _just_ sleeping," she swore, wringing her hands anxiously. A crooked smile flirted with the corner of Sesshoumaru's mouth at her adamant denial. Perhaps he should be insulted that she didn't want any misunderstandings, most of the bitches who forced their company upon him would have used to opportunity to stake their claim. But Kagome had not a deceitful bone in his body. Or maybe she found him so unattractive that she didn't want to be discredited by association with him. Here his brow furrowed; he'd never doubted his self-worth before, Kagome was certainly having a strange effect on him.

Then he remembered the human ritual of kissing, how it communicated affection, and his rumpled feathers were smoothed.

Evidently, Nami found her rebuttal to be downright hilarious and tilting her head back, she cackled at length before regaining her composure and smiling like the Cheshire cat. Purring, she replied, "So my son's tastes are not for human women?"

A low growl slipped from between Sesshoumaru's clenched teeth. Kagome sputtered.

"Human men?" Nami suggested blandly, a twinkle in her eyes. Kagome's shocked eyes darted to his face curiously and Sesshoumaru was gripped by the bizarre urge to pull his hair out.

"Mother," Sesshoumaru ground out warningly.

Over the rim of her teacup, Nami commented drolly, "A mother has her concerns. When your son reaches two millennia and has yet to express an interest in _anything_, those concerns merely get worse." She took a sedate sip of her tea.

Sesshoumaru snorted. "You are not concerned, you are relishing the _sport_," he sneered.

Tongue in cheek, Nami hummed, "I've already had a strongly worded letter from Lady Abi, demanding I eject the 'parasitic wench' from my shiro." Here she clapped her hands together with glee, a smug expression crossing her exotic features, "Impudent little harpy, assuming to tell me what to do in my own shiro."

"Parasitic wench?" Kagome echoed, anger simmering under the surface of her polite smile.

Nami positively vibrated with joy over Kagome's reaction. "Oh, she has _backbone_!" she thrilled, eyes alight with glee, "things are going to be all the more interesting!"

Giving Sesshoumaru a dark look, that he took to mean that the entire situation was somehow his fault, Kagome withdrew, bowing respectfully at Nami to his private hot springs. By the rigid line of her back and the irked set of her eyebrows, Sesshoumaru knew he hadn't heard the last of this.

"Now that you have stirred the waters sufficiently, mother," Sesshoumaru reproached her dryly, "would you please leave?" Though he longed to throw her bodily from his home, she was his mother and commanded a little of his respect. It would simply not do to eject the Western Lady in a hostile manner – though she'd probably laugh if he tried.

Sipping sedately at her tea, Nami gazed out of the open shoji screens at the beautiful flower garden beyond pensively. Sesshoumaru waited for her to speak, aware that snapping at her before she deigned to answer would only increase her petty merriment.

Eventually and with great deliberation, she met his disinterested gaze with her own imperious stare. "I do hate it when other people encroach upon my territory."

"Then you understand how I feel perfectly," Sesshoumaru snipped, alluding to the fact that she had turned up unannounced in his shiro and was currently drinking his tea.

Ignoring him, she continued, "But under the rigors of society and expected protocol, sometimes I must upon my gates to detestable people."

"Mother, speak plainly," he demanded, growing tired of her games with words.

A sly smile curved the lady's painted lips, "A posse of peeved princess' are descending on my palace, all with the singular intention of saving you from your little human."

Closing his eyes, Sesshoumaru repressed a groan; for surely, if seeing his mother engaging in tea with Kagome was terrifying, then the arrival of those bitches was downright horrendous.

* * *

Leaning his head against the wall just outside his hot springs, Sesshoumaru repressed the urge to sigh. He'd walked into the bathing chambers confidently, ready for a long soak after his mother's insufferably gleeful declaration. Unfortunately, once he'd set foot in the steamy cavern, a bottle of oil had narrowly missed his head as it was flung with embarrassed accuracy.

Watching the glass container shatter against the rock face, he turned to the pool and came face to face with Kagome. Literally, for only her head protruded over the steaming waters as she glared daggers at him.

"I am in here, you know," she growled.

He'd quirked silver brow and remarked on their being plenty of room in there for him too. And she'd promptly thrown another bottle of oil with vengeful vehemence.

Fearing for the wellbeing of his array scented oils, he retreated to the corridor outside the hot springs. Now, he marvelled over the human female. Or rather, the certain human female currently ensconced within his hot springs. None had ever caused him to turn tail and retreat before, until Kagome. Absently, he mused that if he cared for the opinions of others even in the least, the situation would be embarrassing.

As it was, however, the situation was merely tedious. Apparently, Kagome took her time in a proper hot spring, where she had used the shower contraption in her own home fairly quickly.

After an age, Sesshoumaru became aware of a very soft groaning coming from the direction of the springs and, curiosity grabbing him by his scruff; he rose to investigate what had caused Kagome to sound so destitute.

Mindful of his past mistakes, Sesshoumaru entered the springs backwards, hands held up as if in surrender.

"What is the matter?" he asked cautiously. Wondering absently whether she'd still deign it necessary to throw something at him for invading her space; if she did, she might actually succeed in hitting him, considering he was dutifully turning his back on her.

"I didn't bring anything in with me," she mourned, "no towel and certainly no new clothes!"

Now with purpose, Sesshoumaru left and selected a red kimono and a towel for drying and brought them back to the stranded human, whose modesty prevented her from leaving the water.

"Don't look!" she cried when he returned. A vein jumped in his temple and, closing his eyes, he moved towards her and almost sighed as she snatched away the towel and the clothing.

"You can leave now," she mumbled, sounding a little mollified.

Rolling his eyes, he did as she bid him and reclaimed his previous seat outside in the corridor. A few moments later, however, the distinct sound of cursing drifted to his pointed ears. Intrigued, he stepped once again into the hot springs and quirked a brow at the image Kagome made.

Sat on her knees on the earthy floor, she was surrounded by a pool of silks. She'd managed to secure the hadajuban modestly but the nagajuban lay in a nest at her ankles, the obi looped around her neck like a scarf and the outer kimono was in a heap on her lap. Disgruntled, she gazed up at him.

"This was so much easier when I had my mother to help me," she lamented wryly.

"Stand," Sesshoumaru instructed and Kagome gravely submitted to his instructions on the correct way to wear the formal attired he'd given her.

"You must think I'm pathetic," she grumbled as he slapped her hands away from her obi and proceeded to tie an intricate knot in place of her simple one.

"No," he answered truthfully as he tugged at the gilded silk, "your human clothing was equally as baffling."

Kagome smiled. "Thanks for putting up with me."

"Make no mistake," he hummed, "I am merely expediting matters so that I may finally bathe." The wry amusement in his tone was refreshing to Kagome's tired ears and she didn't even retaliate except for a small half-hearted growl that earned her an extra reprimanding tug of the obi.

* * *

Sat once again on the deck that overlooked another of Sesshoumaru's flower fields, Kagome was attempting to concentrate less on the beautiful view and more on the game og shogi she was attempting not to fail too badly. She should have known better than to propose a game; her grandfather had tried to teach her to play when she'd been younger but she'd always had something better to do. Now, however, she was wishing she'd paid more attention. Sesshoumaru was no novice.

When she'd suggested a game his eyes had lit up with that telltale competitive glimmer that spelled her speedy downfall. Indeed, as he thwarted her yet again, she began resenting his slightly patronising 'advice'.

So, she decided to change the subject. If she couldn't win based on her feeble skill, maybe she could distract a win out of him.

"You shouldn't have barged into the hot springs like that earlier," she chastised, worrying her lip as another bum move ended in disaster.

A silvery eyebrow arched. "We kissed."

Kagome's eyebrows jumped to her hairline. "Excuse me, mister, but I'm not the type of woman who jumps straight from kissing to... _that_."

Sesshoumaru blinked watching as she moved one of her pawns straight into a carefully laid trap. "That?"

"You know," Kagome waved a flustered hand, knocking over her lance and catching her king on the sleeve of her kimono, "that," she repeated, cheeks pink.

And people called him reticent. "I had no motive except to bathe with you," he murmured, a little hurt that she'd assume him so dishonourable. Mulling over that thought, he wondered what he would have done if he'd glimpsed her naked. Honour was all well and good, but lust was another mistress entirely.

Pausing, he dissected that thought. He was attracted to Kagome. He'd given up fighting that when he'd kissed her. Did he desire her as a mate? His brow wrinkled. Pondering that this early was the equivalent of mulling over marriage on the first date.

"No other motive?" Suddenly Kagome was embarrassed for an entirely different reason. "Is it a species thing?" Did he not find her attractive? The shame threatened to overwhelm her.

Misunderstanding her entirely, Sesshoumaru answered gravely. "Probably. In demon culture, once a female gives a signal that she is receptive to courtship; the couple will commence many rituals together to test compatibility. Sharing a bed, sharing a bath, the male will hunt for the female among other such rituals."

"Oh," Kagome smiled a little timidly, "so... are you courting me?"

There was a long pause as Sesshoumaru considered her question. A pause in which Kagome fidgeted. With a decisive move, he won the game and smiled, showing his teeth.

"Yes, I am."

Kagome snorted. "Then you need to learn to let a girl win once in a while," she teased.

"Five games to zero," Sesshoumaru announced, a certain self-satisfaction lacing his tone.

"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, "do you have to rub it in?"

"Yes."

"Hmph."

As Sesshoumaru carefully reset the pieces to their starting points, he brought up a valid point, "Do not tell my mother that I am courting you."

Kagome balked. "Why?"

Sesshoumaru's lip curled. "Because she'll be entirely too gleeful for anyone to stand. The servants will turn neurotic from shock. And she won't hesitate to inform the bitches who desire me of you. Whilst the brand is at your throat, you are vulnerable to their conniving ways."

"Whilst I agree with the first part, won't the demonesses assume that we're together anyway?" Kagome inquired curiously.

"Some will assume you are a snack," he hummed, smiling at the look of revulsion on Kagome's features, "Some will assume you are a plaything to pass the time, perhaps someone to tryst with. Others may assume you are a pet."

Kagome faintly vibrated with righteous indignation. "So help me if they say anything to my face," she growled.

Sesshoumaru inclined his head in agreement. _So help those bitches_...

* * *

A/N: Go Kagome! Can you tell I'm having too much fun writing Nami-sama? Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. You guys are fabulous. Seriously.


	18. Shadow Blossoms

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Touching down on the roof, light on his stocking-feet, Sesshoumaru made not a single sound as he prowled towards yet another interloper on his territory. He was beginning to become a little irked at all these unannounced visitors. A dog who feels his territory is threatened could be inclined to bite; Sesshoumaru was feeling inclined to remind his current invader of such.

Though Sesshoumaru was an expert at stealth and wearing silence as a cloak, the dark haired male turned to watch him approach, eyes weary.

"Bankotsu," Sesshoumaru growled at his mother's insolent assassin, a brow quirking in irritation.

Inclining his head and ignoring the silver-haired demon's ire, Bankotsu smoothly began, "Courting a human?"

Golden eyes narrowed dangerously; how had this imbecile gotten close enough to hear his proposal to Kagome? "What concern is it of yours?"

The corner of Bankotsu's mouth quirked knowingly. "So you are, then."

Cursing his sudden loss of sense, Sesshoumaru pressed his mouth into a firm line. Normally, he would have seen through the assassin's ploy to squeeze information from him, but being with Kagome had apparently addled his brains and made him a fool. Was this what they called being a fool in love?

With a minute frown, he seized the thought, pinned it down and proceeded to trace its origin. Unhelpfully, he couldn't fathom where the renegade thought had transpired from. It was impossible for him to be in love. The concept was a foreign human notion and on top of that it was completely absurd – surely he hadn't known Kagome long enough for such a feeling to have formed. It was his understanding that such an emotion was elusive – many professed to be in love, but few were truly kept within its thrall.

"I've never seen you that protective over anyone," Bankotsu continued, wrongly judging Sesshoumaru's silence as an allowance to continue speaking. "You do not cater to those weaker than you."

"Kagome is not weak," Sesshoumaru bit out.

"Maybe not, but you've put her on a pedestal anyway," Bankotsu murmured.

"I fail to see how this is any of your concern," Sesshoumaru sneered, lip curling back from his fangs menacingly as he casually examined his razor sharp claws. Bankotsu wondered whether he was envisioning the way they would slice through his throat, and hastily beat away the thought.

"She's a human, in a strange new world, with no one save you," Bankotsu grumbled, standing as he prepared to leave before Sesshoumaru took it upon himself to 'escort' him out. "Do you really think, that on top of all that, she needs to be courting the most contrary person in existence?" This was said with a sweeping gesture at Sesshoumaru's person.

Flinging a narrow eyed glare at the assassin, Sesshoumaru wondered why, suddenly, everything was his fault.

The corner of Bankotsu's mouth quirked. "Think about it," he advised, before leaping from the rooftop gracefully.

Resisting the childish urge to throw a roof tile at the assassin's retreating back, Sesshoumaru reluctantly contemplated the situation his unusually rash words had gotten him into. He was courting Kagome. Not that he even knew how to court a woman. Or had much experience in making anyone else happy.

Shoulders sagging somewhat, Sesshoumaru wondered if he hadn't been a little selfish in his decision to court Kagome. Yet, he wouldn't regret it.

* * *

Kagome woke up slowly, her mind fighting to stay in the comfortable world of sleep even as an annoying tapping noise pulled her into wakefulness. Groaning, she shifted under the covers, absently noting that Sesshoumaru was absent and stretched her arms over her head as she yawned hugely.

Cracking one eye open, she slammed a hand to her mouth to stifle the instinctive startled shout as she discovered the source of the tapping. Jaken stood next to her pillow, in all his stout glory, tapping one two-toed foot in apparent irritation.

"Erm... hi?" she ventured, running a hand through her sleep-tussled hair. Absently, she was a little miffed that Sesshoumaru had apparently scarpered before she'd woken up. She missed him already, but, she supposed, that was silly. Even so, she couldn't entirely bury the attachment she harboured towards the snowy-haired demon.

"Sesshoumaru-sama instructed me to stay here until you woke up," Jaken sniffed, the disdain colouring his tone making it evident that he didn't really appreciate the task. Well, she mused, at least he'd left a note... of sorts.

"Oh," Kagome smiled tentatively, "why?"

Jaken narrowed his beady yellow eyes. "There are bitches in the compound. Sesshoumaru-sama anticipated that they might seek you out."

Kagome smiled sheepishly. She guessed that was as close as Jaken would get to saying Sesshoumaru was worried about her.

"I see," she smiled, stifling another yawn behind her hand. "Where is Sesshoumaru anyway?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama has other obligations," Jaken sneered, before turning on one heel and walking towards the door. "Do not leave the shiro," he warned in parting.

Rolling her eyes at the uncooperative and downright ornery behaviour of the little kappa, Kagome clambered from the futon and managed to put her kimono on. Once Sesshoumaru had given a demonstration, it hadn't seemed that hard; though she'd been forced to tie the obi knot as the front and then swivel it to her back.

"If I can't leave," Kagome mused, the empty room listening in intent silence, "I may as well explore a little."

* * *

Kagome trekked down yet another identical corridor, clutching the fabric of her opulent kimono as she darted an anxious glance over her shoulder. Sesshoumaru's home was beautiful, but ever since she'd left his rooms, she'd been unable to shake the sensation of being stalked. At first, she'd dismissed it as paranoia, but it was getting harder to ignore the sensation of curious eyes.

Luckily, she didn't feel any animosity from her stalker. Rather, whatever was watching her seemed timid and inquisitive.

Sighing in relief as she spotted the doors that led to the flower fields, she yanked them open and stepped out into the balmy sunshine. Taking a deep breath, she revelled in the lack of pollution; Tokyo would never smell like this, not even in summer.

Dropping onto her bottom, she reached out and plucked a flower from the earth, setting to work at making a garland. It was something to do, and she hoped that if she stayed still long enough, the presence shadowing her might introduce itself.

Loosing herself in the simple task, Kagome's mind drifted. Kouga and the werewolves would be worried, she mused sadly, but there really hadn't been any time to tell anyone what was happening. Her family would be concerned too, she bit her lip guiltily; she'd promised her grandpa she'd help out at the shrine on New Year's and she'd completely neglected to go; she'd gotten sidetracked by the demon invasion. Hojo-san too would wonder about what had happened to her, he wasn't just her boss; he was a friend of the family.

Eyes downcast, she reflected morosely that this was the first time she'd ever missed the New Year celebrations at the shrine. Her mother would be worried, her grandpa would feel jilted, and Souta would be unimpressed at having to pick up the slack from her absence. Resolutely, she decided she'd make Sesshoumaru take her home to explain that...

Her brows furrowed as she tried to sort out some kind of explanation. It wasn't as if she could simply tell them the truth. No one would believe her.

She was snapped from her reverie when a small hand pushed another flower into her palms. So lost in her thoughts, she'd stopped in her task of making the garland, and apparently her shadow had grown tired of her lapse.

Doe-like brown eyes stared at her solemnly, and Kagome accepted the flower from the little girl crouched opposite her. The child appeared to be around seven or eight, beseeching eyes dominated her face and long brown hair tumbled down her back in an unruly mess. A simple chequered orange and yellow kimono covered her body, her feet were bare. And she floated a few inches above the ground.

Ignoring that last detail for now, Kagome finished the garland with a flourish and presented it to the girl. The child took it, winder in her eyes, and smiled hugely, revealing the gap in between her two front teeth.

"I'm Kagome."

"Rin," the little girl replied cheerfully.

"Do you live here as well, Rin-chan?" Kagome queried, tilting her head to one side curiously.

Rin shook her head. "Rin doesn't live," she answered matter-of-factly.

Kagome did a double take. "I'm sorry?"

Rin plopped the garland on her head and smiled. "Rin is dead."

"I'm sorry," Kagome repeated, this time consolingly.

Rin patted her knee with one small hand. "It was a long time ago," she assured Kagome.

"So, you stay here with Sesshoumaru?" Kagome rephrased her question.

Rin nodded. "And Jaken-sama. Rin likes it here."

Judging by the hero worship in Rin's eyes, Sesshoumaru was the reason behind this child ghost's attachment to the shiro. And Kagome bemusedly realised they had something in common.

* * *

Haggard and in desperate need of a bath, Sesshoumaru stumbled into his shiro late that night. The grasping bitches that had invited themselves to his mother's palace had been all over him and now he smelt of their cloying perfumes. Fending off their amorous touches hadn't been any easier; he might have permanent claw marks down his chest from the number of times a female had 'alluringly' dragged their claws over his torso.

Stomping through the maze of wooden-floored corridors, he eventually came upon his rooms and slid the door open, fully prepared to fall onto his futon, bury his face in Kagome's hair to regain some strength and then wash the stench off.

Instead, he was confronted with the sight of Kagome sprawled sleepily across the futon. Unusually there were dozens of flowers carefully woven into her silky tresses. Even as he watched, the little ghost that haunted his shiro tucked an iris behind Kagome's ear.

"Rin," he breathed, startled by her appearance. Rin was slow to warm to strangers, even though, when she finally accepted them she was a bundle of exuberance.

"Kagome-neechan likes flowers too," Rin mumbled, petting the miko's forehead as if she was a puppy.

A smile crept up on Sesshoumaru as his anxieties melted away. For a while, this room held his idea of home, and he wanted to revel in it. He let the worries of safety fall from his shoulders, the concerns about the bitches invading his property melted away and his apprehension about his relationship with Kagome suddenly felt rather foolish.

For the first time in his life, Sesshoumaru allowed himself to just simply be.

It was rather freeing.

* * *

A/N: This took me a while didn't it? You can all blame real-life for stealing me away. I hope you enjoyed!


	19. Allies

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Smiling at Rin as the little ghost made use of her weightlessness to float to the very top of a majestic plum blossom tree, Kagome added another flower to the garland she was absently weaving. Once again, Sesshoumaru had been gone when she'd woken up and she was beginning to feel a little jilted.

She wasn't sure if it was demonic custom to propose a courtship and then promptly treat your partner like a pariah, but it certainly wasn't making her feel any better about herself. He's already prettier than me, she mused wryly.

"Kagome-neechan," Rin called joyously, "look!"

The little ghost gave the plum blossom tree a healthy shake, sending the blossoms tumbling. With a look of absolute concentration, Rin made the flowers coalesce into what could only be described as a petal whirlwind.

Kagome's eyes grew wide even as she applauded the girl's feat of magic. If she remembered her grandpa's rambling lectures rightly, it took a lot of power for a ghost to be able to do something like that, meaning Rin had probably been dead for a very long time.

Laughing as the petals rained down at her as Rin lost concentration, Kagome almost neglected to notice the new presence watching them. Lips twitching, she absently wondered how many people were going to stalk her in this lifetime.

"I know you're there," she called with more bravado than she actually possessed. Truth be told, she was getting a little tired of all this cloak and dagger nonsense.

A noise that sounded suspiciously like a huff reached Kagome's ears and she glanced to her left in time to see the figure crouched on the roof leap through the air to land at her side.

The woman was lavishly draped in a fine silk kimono that probably wasn't the best roof-jumping ensemble, her hair was tied in an elaborate bun decorated with two feathers and her red eyes all but glowed in her pretty face.

"So you're the human," the woman mused, her words somewhat derogatory but her tone merely curious.

"Kagome," she corrected tersely.

The demon grinned, flashing a glimpse of fang. "Kagura," she returned. There was a beat of silence as the demon looked her up and down like she was a bug under a microscope. "To be quite honest, I was expecting... a little bit more fear," the brunette eventually admitted amusedly.

Kagome continued to weave her flower garland. "You'll be disappointed then. I don't intimidate easily."

Kagura gave a dry laugh. "You obviously haven't met Nami-sama."

In an offhand manner, Kagome replied, "I had breakfast with her the day before yesterday."

The silence whipped through the flower garden, and little Rin who had been hovering uneasily, moved closer to Kagome protectively.

Kagura tipped back her head and chortled. "You are not like any human I've ever heard of."

"Glad to hear it."

* * *

_Crack_.

Kagome started, dropping the teapot, as Sesshoumaru ripped the sliding door from its frame in his haste to get into the room. His eyes were wild as he gazed around the room and then his agitation deflated when he set eyes on the civilised scene before him.

"Ah!" Kagome shrieked as the spilt tea dripped off the table and burnt her hand. With new purpose, Sesshoumaru casually dropped the door and went to the little woman, soothing her wounds with a cool cloth.

The low chuckle brought the harassed demon back down to earth and he tossed an indifferent glance at Kagura, who was seated at his table like this was a normal occurrence. Rin was nowhere to be found, mostly because the little ghost rarely warmed to strangers, and Kagura was definitely that. He could feel her presence though, she lurked somewhere, protectively.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome chirped, looking so pleased to see him that his indifferent facade crumbled. "What are you doing here? Jaken-sama said you had to go and entertain the bitches again."

Sesshoumaru snorted and cast Kagura a tempestuous look. "One escaped."

Kagome glanced between the smirking demoness and the glowering demon. Placing a restraining hand on Sesshoumaru's bicep, she said, "Kagura-san is actually quite nice."

Nice probably wasn't the correct word. Kagura had a sharp tongue and a dry wit, but the demoness had certainly been pleasant company. And she hadn't tried to kill her once.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at Kagome's naivety, Sesshoumaru tossed Kagura a haughty look. "Leave."

"Certainly," Kagura smirked, "and I'll be sure to tell the others that Kagome-san is here, defenceless except for a loud kappa and a child-ghost."

Kagome could practically hear Sesshoumaru gritting his teeth.

"It's okay," she rubbed his bicep, "Kagura-san is good company; I've been a little lonely without you."

"If you don't return soon," Kagura murmured, gazing disinterestedly, "they'll track you down and drag you back."

Sesshoumaru bared his teeth menacingly at the kaze demon. "If you hurt her..." he let the threat trail off suggestively.

Kagura snorted. "We aren't all interested in your silvery ass," she commented crassly, "some of us only came out of curiosity." Kagura smiled at Kagome. "I've never met a human before and I'm pretty sure I'll never meet one quite like Kagome-san again."

Kagome grinned.

Sesshoumaru cast the little miko an exasperated glance. Indeed, he doubted there were any other humans who would have hauled him in from the cold, yelled at werewolves, kissed a sleeping demon, confronted an assassin and then travelled to the demonic realm.

Sesshoumaru darted an anxious glance at Kagome as he left the room; maybe there was something wrong with her. It couldn't be normal to be that extraordinary.

* * *

Kagome could tell that Sesshoumaru was unhappy at Kagura's continued presence, but he eventually left to go and entertain the other bitches.

"I've never seen him like that before," Kagura commented offhandedly, sipping genially at the fresh tea Kagome had brewed.

"Annoyed?" Kagome asked incredulously. Whilst they were alone, Sesshoumaru was rarely anything but calm, yet, with anyone else, it seemed their presence alone was enough to make him grouchy.

Kagura snorted. "Concerned," she corrected.

Kagome smiled bashfully. "Huh."

Kagura quirked a brow. "You're taking the entire situation very well," the wind demon commented bemusedly. "I don't know a demoness who would let their male leave to entertain a group of raving bitches."

"My male?"Kagome parroted, quirking an enquiring brow.

Kagura levelled her with a flat no-nonsense look.

Kagome grinned. "He hates them," she spoke assuredly; "they can flirt and fawn and simper all they like. And it's not as if his mother will marry him off to one of them, Nami-sama hates them too."

"True," Kagura conceded, inclining her head in acceptance of Kagome's clear thinking.

"But," Kagome drew the word out tauntingly, "if they wanted to come and see his human pet... well I'd love to meet them." The dazzling teeth-baring smile from the human was enough to make Kagura uncomfortable. This woman should have been born a demon.

"I'm sure he won't be able to keep them away forever," Kagura promised her new friend.

Kagome's smile grew more cheerful. "I'm counting on it."

Kagura grinned into her teacup, hoping she'd manage to get ring-side seats.

* * *

Nami sighed melodramatically, gazing out at the swarming bitches as they fawned over her made-from-stone son. Some of them had attempted to get into her good books in an attempt to win him over; they all now sported scorched hair-tips. Nothing like the smell of burned hair to make you repulsive to every demon in a hundred miles. Nami grinned a little in remembrance.

But, the novelty had worn out. Sesshoumaru was practically asleep with his eyes open, and nothing the bitches had attempted had garnered any reaction. She was bored.

"Enough," Nami spoke quietly, but the chattering of the assembled bitches immediately subsided. "I tire of your drivel," she flicked her fan dismissively, "my son and I will take our leave. We will dine at his shiro," she stood in a graceful moment, mirrored by her suddenly wary son and casually added, "with _his_ human."

The silence was deafening as she swept from the room with Sesshoumaru in tow. As soon as the door shut behind them, the bitches erupted into a cacophony of irate screeching.

"Haha-ue-sama," Sesshoumaru breathed, voice dripping with poison.

Nami laughed delightedly, causing the passing servant to drop her tea-tray in pure terror. Such fun.

* * *

For the second time that day, Kagome jumped as Sesshoumaru stormed into the shiro. This time he seemed livid instead of concerned, and brought with him his beaming mother.

Nami's smile was so saccharine it looked positively frightening. Kagome winced, wondering what the demoness had planned that would make her radiate that much satisfaction.

"Ah," Nami's eyes lit up when she saw Kagura, "gathering allies already, little human?"

"Friends," Kagome corrected uneasily. "What's wrong, Sesshoumaru?"

Nami laughed. "I think he's a little miffed that I gave away where you were hiding."

"How hard could it be to figure out I was here?" Kagome snorted, now seriously doubting the intelligence of the women.

Nami cajoled, "Ah, little human, you forget that no one in their right mind would put someone vulnerable like you here without anyone to guard you."

"A double bluff?" Kagura queried, darting an amused glance at Sesshoumaru.

"That," Nami conceded wryly, "and the fact that he doesn't trust me not to keep her if he took her to my shiro."

"I'm not a pet," Kagome replied haughtily.

Nami clapped her hands together in glee.

Kagome gave a gruesome smile. "Well, I hope they aren't expecting a warm welcome."

Sesshoumaru pinched the bridge of his nose. He was surrounded by insane women.

* * *

A/N: Whee! I hope you enjoyed this speedy update. If you have any time, please review.


	20. Synchronism

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Propping his head on his hand, Sesshoumaru gazed down at Kagome's sleeping form as she nuzzled deeper into his hair in her slumber. Amusedly, he prodded her cheek gently with his finger, marvelling over the frailty of the human sleeping in his bed. If he exercised just a little pressure with his claw, he would draw blood and the wound would take days rather than moments to heal.

He frowned. His mother had waved a red flag to those bull-like princesses and now they were all out for Kagome's blood and his title. The demonic women already wanted Kagome gone purely for sullying him with her human presence, he shuddered to think what they might do if they realised he was sharing his bed with her, even if it was in a purely platonic sense.

Kagome chose that moment to crack open her eyes, stretching in a remarkably feline manner as she yawned heartily.

"Good morning," she mumbled around another yawn.

"Promise me something," he murmured gravely, brushing her hair from her forehead.

"What?" Kagome asked cautiously.

"Do not leave this shiro, not even to go into the gardens today. These walls are protected, no one can enter uninvited, except mother." The last word was uttered with barely concealed annoyance.

"I'm not hiding from them, Sesshoumaru," she informed him, eyes flashing dangerously.

"I cannot risk you fighting them," he returned, "if you accidentally unleashed any of your miko ability—"

"I thought you said they were sealed," she queried, touching the brand at her throat absently.

"You are powerful, and the brand is flawed," he reminded her sombrely. "But, remember this," he gripped her chin between his clawed thumb and forefinger. A human is tolerable, an eccentric pet to my society. But a miko will be hunted down and slaughtered."

Kagome blinked up at him, completely startled by this revelation. "Why?"

"The monks and miko of old forced us to create the Makai, your kind were on the hunt," Sesshoumaru pursed his lips, "So it is second nature to eradicate your kind on sight."

Kagome swallowed. "You didn't eradicate me."

Bumping their foreheads together, Sesshoumaru hummed, "I am a contrary being."

Kagome bit her lip to prevent the giggles that bubbled in her throat. "I can't promise I won't leave the shiro," she told him, pressing her fingertips to his lips when he went to speak, "but I will take Kagura-san with me."

"Why must you go outside?"

Kagome's smile was positively predatory. "Target practice."

* * *

Kagura had to admire the little human's backbone. Instead of fleeing from the invasion of the bitches, she'd managed to get her hands on a bow and a quiver of arrows and was currently honing her already impressive skills.

Nami had been hoping the females would be foolish and charge in last night. But, apparently, they weren't fools and were waiting for Kagome to be alone. Considering Sesshoumaru had gone back over to entertain the horde once again, this was the perfect moment for one to sneak away and hurt the little human.

In theory.

But Kagura got the distinct impression that the bitches had bitten off more than they could chew with Kagome.

_Thunk_.

The sound of the arrow embedding in the target sang to Kagome and she grinned as her arrow once again hit the mark. Apparently she hadn't lost her touch but then, it had taken a lot of practise to get her skill to national level.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is worried," Kagura commented casually.

Kagome rolled her eyes as she mercilessly yanked her arrow from the target. "He's angry."

"Because he's worried," Kagura grinned rather reflectively, "it's weird discussing Sesshoumaru's emotions. I'd always thought he just fluctuated between disinterested and annoyed."

"He doesn't need to be worried," Kagome murmured, wandering over and dropping to sit at Kagura's side in the shade of an old persimmon tree.

"How would you feel if Sesshoumaru was facing a small mob of guys that were all twice as tough as him," Kagura postulated.

"That would never happen," Kagome scoffed, she hadn't known him very long, but she was pretty sure the only one who could face off against Sesshoumaru was his terrifying mother.

"Hypothetically," Kagura grumbled, hitting Kagome lightly with her folded fan.

Kagome massaged her temples. "That was uncalled for."

"Just call me the voice of reason."

"The violent voice of reason."

"Kagome-neechan," Rin's voice whispered in Kagome's ear and the miko jerked herself from her complacency. She couldn't see the little ghost, but she knew that the girl was watching over her. "Someone is coming."

Kagura watched Kagome rise gracefully and followed suit, wondering what the strange human was anticipating. Were the bitches already coming? It was brazen of them to attack so abruptly.

Kagome smiled beatifically at Kagura. "Shall we have some tea?" she enquired politely.

A little startled at this, Kagura could do little but nod and follow the blithe human. As she walked, she cautiously expanded her senses outwards, seeking any foreign youki that would signal they were being watched. When she found none, she frowned.

Kagome calmly led Kagura through the shiro into a sparingly furnished sitting room and, with a casual deliberateness, flung the doors open so that they had a prime view of the lake next to the shiro. Light reflected from the clear waters, casting a beautiful rainbow, lotus blossoms floated serenely on the surface. It was a picturesque scene.

The harmonious sounds of a flute weaved through the serenity in beautiful complement to the natural beauty of the scene. But Kagura tensed, the sound of the flute heralded the arrival of possibly one of the most rabid Sesshoumaru-loving princesses.

Sara-hime.

Kagura tensed expectantly, watching bemusedly out of the corner of one eye as Kagome pottered around gathering the tea things. Hadn't she noticed?

"So you are here," Sara's soft, cultured voice floated into the room.

Kagome glanced at the princess who had appeared in the garden. Surrounded by the wildflowers, in resplendent silken robes of primrose, the dark-haired princess looked like some kind of nymph.

"Strange for Sesshoumaru-sama to leave his pet unattended," Sara continued, just as serenely. Her eyes flickered to Kagura for a split second. "Oh, I didn't see you there, Kagura."

Ignoring the insult, Kagura merely narrowed her eyes at their latest visitor. This demon was a strange one, Kagura had never heard the entirety of her story, but it seemed Sara-hime was once a human who, on her death bed, gave up her body to demons so that she might live on. It was a little sickening to think about it too much.

"A friend of yours?" Kagome enquired casually.

"Tch."

"Oh, it speaks," Sara murmured, tilting her head as she stared at Kagome, her eyes flat and disinterested, "does it do tricks?"

Fingering her bow, Kagome answered sweetly, "Would you like to find out?"

Sara gave a tinkling little laugh. "I am Sara-hime," she held out one arm and smiled brokenly, "and I'm here to rid Sesshoumaru-sama of your human blight."

Kagome's eyebrows flew to her hairline as Sara's extended hand exploded into dozens of hissing snakes. They launched from her hand towards Kagome with lethal fangs.

"Oh no you don't!" Kagura snarled, flicking her fan and roughly beheading the snakes with blades of wind.

Kagome shot her a sidelong look. "Nice."

"Thank you," Kagura grinned, stepping out into the garden and holding her fan out bracingly. "I work better outdoors. Fuujin no Mai!"

The flick from Kagura's fan sent hundreds of blades of wind whipping at Sara with deadly precision. The princess abruptly disappeared in a movement so fast Kagome couldn't see it, Kagura started, whipping her fan back as she cast around for the princess.

"Behind you!"

But it was too late. Sara held out the pendant which had previously sat around her throat, the pendant glowed a luminous blue and Kagura was petrified.

"Kagura-san!" Kagome yelled, nocking her bow and aiming at Sara. "Reverse it."

"Or what?" Sara sneered, calmly placing the pendant back around her throat.

Kagome growled, grit her teeth and let loose an arrow. The projectile slammed into Sara's shoulder, knocking her sideways and forcing her to one knee.

Clutching her bleeding shoulder, Sara smiled grimly and staggered back to her feet. "My turn," she simpered, her smile absent of any warmth. Holding out her good arm, Kagome waited for the snakes, surprised when instead it began to glow with a malicious purple light.

The pulse of energy exploded from Sara's hand and Kagome flinched, but stood her ground, planning on only stepping aside at the last second. Yet, it soon became apparent that she needn't have worried, the attack rebounded from Kagome just as it came to the opened doors.

Sara hissed as she barely dodged her own energy, it appeared to have seared the tips of her hair. "What is this?"

"I guess Sesshoumaru meant what he said about nothing unwanted being able to get into the shiro," Kagome murmured, surprised.

Baring her fangs, Sara snapped, "Sesshoumaru-sama would never refuse me anything! I have done everything for him. I became a demon for him and now, I'll make sure he never has to put up with your human filth ever again!"

Kagome's eyes softened with sympathy. It sounded as if this woman truly loved Sesshoumaru, or at least she was obsessed with the silver-haired demon. Yet, when three energy blasts hit the invisible shield in rapid succession, she reconsidered her sympathy.

"Killing me won't make Sesshoumaru love you!" Kagome reasoned, nocking another arrow even as Sara continued to rain energy blasts down upon the shiro.

"Shut up!"

At a loss, Kagome took aim and fired at the pendant around Sara's neck, praying that a happy coincidence would strike and that the destruction of the pendant would mean the reversal of whatever had been done to Kagura.

"Well, that was helpful," Kagome murmured as the pendant shattered and Kagura regained the use of her limbs.

The wind demon appeared shocked for a split second before she lashed out with her fan, her wind blades slicing at Sara's unsuspecting back. The princess staggered backwards, obviously stunned by this hit, her wounds bleeding and her kimono ripped. On unsteady feet she stumbled back until she fell at the edge of the lake.

Water swallowed the princess, encasing her in a watery prison that she seemed unable to escape from, though she flailed furiously.

"The lake is holding her prisoner?" Kagome queried bemusedly.

"Disrespecting Sesshoumaru-sama's shiro is unforgivable!" Jaken's unmistakable squawk reached their ears as the little kappa rose from the recesses of the water. "Now, go back to where you came from!"

The water Sara was imprisoned in glowed bright blue and the princess vanished.

"What did you do with her?"Kagura asked bemusedly.

"I sent her back to the main house," Jaken sniffed, "Sesshoumaru-sama will dispatch swift justice on the little wench."

Kagura chuckled, closing her fan and moving to stand at Kagome's side. "Good job."

Kagome grinned crookedly. "We make a good combination, huh?"

* * *

Nami blinked lethargically and glanced out at her lake, a wicked light shining in her eyes.

"The runaway has returned," she announced to the assembled females.

The women clinging to her son paused in their fawning and glanced at Nami expectantly. Nami smiled, baring her deadly fangs, and hummed, "My poor koi are being started a lot recently."

The assembled company blinked at her blankly, but Sesshoumaru stood, extracting his arm from a clingy princess's possession and marching over to throw the doors open, giving them all a decent view of the lake.

Seconds later, a sphere of water plunged into the pond and Sara emerged spluttering up water; sodden, bleeding and with an arrow protruding from her shoulder and her collar bone. Sesshoumaru allowed the relief to cascade over him. It seemed Kagome could protect herself, though it seemed she'd received a little help.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Sara cried when she saw him, staggering from the water towards him with her eyes full of adoration, "That little human bitch attacked me!"

The other women tensed and shifted uneasily. Nami's smile grew.

"I have little doubt that you dealt the first blow," Sesshoumaru drawled.

Sara recoiled as if slapped, it seemed she'd been expecting a warmer welcome. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"You trespassed on my lands, attacked my human and now you expect my sympathies?"Sesshoumaru demanded voice cold and eyes flat. He was fairly certain he could hear his mother clapping, but he ignored her.

"I was only attempting to rid you of the human filth," Sara pleaded, clasping her hands before her sycophantically.

Sesshoumaru tossed his hair and turned up his nose. "I do not react favourably towards those who hurt what is mine. Haha-ue-sama?"

Nami wiped away a gleeful tear with the tip of one deadly claw. "Yes, dear?" she sang.

"Is this woman the daughter of one of our allies?"

Nami's eyes narrowed in indolent satisfaction. "She is the daughter of a lower lord of our own kingdom."

Sara staggered away, horror and disbelief etched onto her once-pretty face. "B-but I love you!" she yelled, "I'd do anything for you."

Sesshoumaru bared his fangs. "Then die."

The whip sliced the princess right down the middle and the two halves fell away to reveal a horrifying ogre standing in her place.

"Filth," Sesshoumaru growled and, with a gracefully executed leap and a flick of his whip, the ogre's head fell into the pond with a cacophonic splash. The white-clad demon turned to the stunned demonesses with a warning on his lips, "Never seek to harm what is mine."

And with that he leapt away.

"The koi certainly won't enjoy sharing their pond with a dismembered head," Nami remarked casually. "Someone clean that up."

* * *

Kagura smiled wryly as she watched Sesshoumaru check the human over for any injuries. The glacial demon seemed to be experiencing his own personal spring. With a sad little smile she left them to their happy moments, knowing that they would soon have their serene moments stolen from them.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this update! If you have a moment, I'd love it if you could drop me a review!


	21. Communication Breakdown

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Abi straightened from her deep bow, settling into a refined seiza as she gazed respectfully at her benefactor.

"It is only a matter of time," she murmured softly, "Sesshoumaru dispatched Sara-hime and the other bitches are running scared."

"Good," the voice boomed from the darkness of the cave. "See to it that you do not fail me, Sara, there will be dire consequences if you do."

Abi inclined her head respectively. "I understand." A cruel smile curled her lips. "But there might be something else... he has in his possession a human."

"A human?" the voice seemed intrigued by this concept.

"Yes."

"Interesting... you know what to do."

* * *

Since travelling to the demon world, waking up and going to sleep were now the most pleasant parts of the day. In those moments she got Sesshoumaru completely to herself; she didn't have to share him with the bitchy princesses. She could pretend, just for a moment, that they were back at her apartment, ensconced together.

This was the reason Kagome was playing possum, though she'd woken up. She'd opened her eyes, but was refusing to move, lest she wake Sesshoumaru. If she woke Sesshoumaru, the day would begin, and her snapshot of comfort would disintegrate.

Staring at his sleeping profile from under her lashes, Kagome couldn't fight the smile that bloomed. He was curled up on his side, facing her; one arm outstretched on which she had laid her head, the other hand had a handful of her sleeve. His silver hair fell half across his face, concealing parts of his peaceful sleeping expression.

Her hands twitched with longing and – though she cursed her lack of restraint – she swept those tantalising strands back from his sleeping face, stirring the slumbering demon into wakefulness.

"Good morning," she whispered regretfully as those bleary golden eyes met hers.

"Good morning," he returned, his voice still husky with sleep.

Predictably, he pulled himself quickly into a sitting position, clambering from the warmth of the futon. With a regretful sigh, Kagome stretched in a particularly feline manner and with one last look at her, Sesshoumaru escaped the room.

And reality intruded.

* * *

Sesshoumaru set his back against the bedroom door and rubbed a hand over his face. Demon, human or god, no one could resist waking up to a vision like that. Kagome didn't seem to realise the tempting vision she made, especially when his resistance was at its weakest. He wasn't made of steel, and there were moments where he just wanted to give in to his instincts. But right now wasn't the time. And any kind of non-platonic physical contact would make her a walking target.

She was a rabbit in front of a snake, and she didn't even realise it.

With a sigh, he wandered towards the hot springs, futilely attempting to scrub the image of Kagome sprawled next to him in his bed from his mind.

* * *

Setting his teacup down, Sesshoumaru stood in one fluid movement, tucking his sword into his sash. Clutching her teacup to her chest, she felt swamped by the disappointment that Sesshoumaru was, once again, leaving to entertain the invading bitches.

"Haven't they gone home yet?" she grumbled.

Sesshoumaru paused in the doorway thoughtfully. "Hopefully, after yesterday's display, many will have run for cover," a small grim smirk played at his lips as he thought back to the satisfaction he'd experienced at the sight of the whiny bitches cowering.

"It was so much easier, when we were back at my apartment," Kagome murmured, tone melancholic as she sighed into her tea.

Sesshoumaru's expression softened, the dejectedness in her tone making him feel oddly helpless. As things were, most of what was happening to them was outside his control. He had no real solution to the sadness permeating Kagome's aura.

Walking back to her side, he dropped to his knees beside her and carefully cupped her cheek in his hand.

"I will fix this," he vowed. It was about as close to an apology for dragging her into this as he could muster. As much as he lamented the upheaval of her life, he would never apologise for meeting the extraordinary girl staring at him with soulful blue eyes.

Kagome's eyes softened and she laid a hand over the hand cupping her cheek. "We'll be okay."

Pressing his lips to hers in a chaste goodbye kiss, Sesshoumaru absently wondered when he'd become the one in need of comfort. Pausing once more at the doorway, he looked back at the svelte miko sat at his table.

Kagome smiled. "I'll be here when you get back," she promised.

"Stay safe," he ordered.

"Right back at you," she murmured, a small half-smile playing at her lips.

* * *

Nami stalked into the almost-empty sitting room, eyes shrewd as she took in the lone figure of Abi-hime, sat ramrod straight at the chabudai.

"Where are the others?" she queried imperiously, staring down her nose at the dark haired bird-yokai.

Abi smiled serenely, but her painted lips made her seem rather calculating and sinister. "They left after Sesshoumaru-sama's display yesterday."

Arching a silvery eyebrow, Nami pasted her own smile on her face. Like Abi's it lacked the warmth of a traditional smile and contained all the intent of a predatory snarl. "I see."

And she did. The lady of the West had not earned her title by being an ignoramus. Nor was she even remotely naive. Abi's deception was plain to see; only a few of the lesser demons would have been cowed by Sesshoumaru's recent outburst, the others would have found his display of masculinity an attractive attribute. Which meant that the sneaky wench sat calmly at her table had either _persuaded_ the other demonesses to leave, or she'd pressed the matter.

Judging by the bloodthirsty look in Abi's eyes, Nami deduced that most had been dissuaded from further pursuit rather... permanently. The bloodthirsty part of Nami's personality appreciated the female's voraciousness, but her Machiavellian mind was still turning. Something didn't quite add up. If the female had slaughtered her adversaries, she should be bragging, but she wasn't. Suggesting she wanted them in the dark as to her deathly proclivities. Which begged the question; why was she playing innocent?

Strolling casually into the room, fully aware of the conversation that had passed between his mother and the princess, Sesshoumaru glowered through Abi.

"Does this mean if I kill her my ordeal will be over?"

"I'm afraid the northern mountain province would not appreciate those words, Sesshoumaru-sama," Abi hummed, clasping her fingers soberly.

Nami's interest was, once again, piqued. Sara had been inconsolable when Sesshoumaru had voiced his wish to murder her, but this woman acted as though it barely fazed her.

A small crease appeared between Sesshoumaru's brows. "Hn..." he drawled, giving Abi a precursory look-over as if she was a particularly irksome fly.

For a moment, Nami wondered if her son would turn to her and ask if he could kill her anyway, but apparently he had a firm leash on his temper this day.

Abi's smile widened and by equal measures, became more creepily vacuous. The fact that she still wasn't showing any teeth made the gesture a little foreign; but it seemed the demon was attempting to avoid showing her fangs and thus conveying any aggression.

"My people would bring great power to your line, Sesshoumaru-sama," Abi continued smoothly, allowing her words to flow like a well crafted sales pitch. "I need not be a burden. Our combined bloods would breed a powerful alliance."

Sesshoumaru's lip curled at the thought of breeding with the detached demoness opposite him.

"I will not make Sara's mistake," she assured him placidly, "I will not involve emotions in any agreement made between us." Her eyes became calculating. "This is a negotiation, an alliance, nothing more."

Nami pursed her lips. It seemed the bitch was playing to her son's practical side, but, like many before her, she'd taken the emotionless facade he projected for truth. Silly little wench.

Sesshoumaru arched a brow wryly. "Indeed."

This time, when she smiled, teeth were involved; it made her look like a shark scenting blood, an improvement over her former demented sycophant smile. "Do we have an agreement?"

"It would seem so."

* * *

Knowing it probably made her quite strange, didn't mean that Kagome could stop craving for the action of yesterday to repeat itself. At least when she had been fighting for her life, she hadn't been feeling lonely. Kagura hadn't turned up, and though Rin was there, she only helped stave off some of the encompassing solitude.

She watched as Rin deliberated over her next move, her little pink tongue sticking out of the side of her mouth. Carefully, she moved one of the pieces on the shogi board, and Kagome didn't have the heart to tell her that the pawn couldn't move like that.

"Kagome," Bankotsu's voice interrupted the solitude of the moment and Kagome jumped in shock.

The assassin stood in the doorway of the room, leaning casually against the frame. Kagome hadn't heard him enter, and she glanced confusedly at Rin to see if the little ghost had noticed something, but the child spectre was still frowning at the shogi board.

"Bankotsu-san," Kagome inclined her head. "What brings you here... and how did you get in? Sesshoumaru's shiro doesn't take well to visitors."

The lithe assassin prowled into the room, pursing his lips as if deliberating his answer. "I think he allowed my entrance, in order to give you a warning."

"A warning?" Kagome bit out, jumping to her feet and turning her no-nonsense glare on Bankotsu. Rin rose too, floating in her disconcerting way until she hovered at roughly the same height as Kagome. "Is Sesshoumaru okay?"

Treating her to an intense stare, Bankotsu answered measuredly, "He's bringing... a guest."

"A guest?" Kagome asked blankly.

"Apparently, he agreed to mate with Abi-hime of the Northern Mountains. They're coming here now; she wanted to meet his pet."

"He wouldn't mate with one of those vile women," Kagome spat, eyes narrowing at the dark-haired male.

"Because he's your lover?" Bankotsu queried, tilting his head to one side in consideration.

Kagome's mouth flattened into a stern line. "Because he hates them. He said so."

Bankotsu chuckled. "Nice save. But I already know about the two of you. You forget, I was at your apartment."

Still, the little woman said nothing, eyes narrowing into slits.

Becoming a little uncomfortable, Bankotsu hastened to reassure her, "I know you're a miko too, and I haven't told anyone. You can trust me."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you keeping my secrets?"

Bankotsu sighed heavily. "I remember what it was like, after Nami-sama resurrected me, being the only human in a demonic world. But, more importantly, Sesshoumaru is going to come back with a woman on his arm. You'd better be able to hide your jealousy."

"Why doesn't he just kill her?" Kagome demanded, her ruthlessness surprising her and the assassin.

"She's the daughter of a powerful clan. Killing her without provocation would mean war," Bankotsu pulled a face and shrugged, making it clear what he thought about the politics of the matter.

"Then I'll kill her," Kagome growled, casting around for her bow and arrows.

"As Sesshoumaru's pet, he'd be held responsible for your outburst. War would still be on the cards."

The thought of playing the part of a good little pet as Sesshoumaru paraded his mate in front of her sent her anger skyrocketing.

"Why did he agree?" she hissed, angry tears springing to her eyes.

Bankotsu looked away, awkwardly twisting his hands together. "I'm not sure," he admitted lowly.

"Go," Kagome murmured, "you too, Rin-chan. I need to compose myself for when Sesshoumaru gets here."

* * *

Sesshoumaru wasn't sure what he was expecting to find when he walked into the shiro, but it certainly wasn't Kagome, kneeling in the genkan, with a painted smile on her face.

"Welcome home, Sesshoumaru-sama." She bowed respectfully. "And honoured guests."

If his mother was surprised by Kagome's act, she didn't make a fuss about it, only smiling widely. Abi glanced down at the human curiously, but followed along behind Kagome nonetheless as she led them through into one of the many sitting rooms.

Demurely, she served them tea, and never once did she make eye contact or speak. Smiling tranquilly, she acted as though she hadn't a care in the world. It was disconcerting.

"The mating customs of my clan demand that you must visit with our matriarch before we can proceed," Abi spoke in a business-like tone.

"Well then," Nami murmured happily, "you should head to the northern mountains straight away, my son. I will look after your little pet."

The older demoness gave Kagome a smile that spoke of nightmares and Kagome beamed back vapidly.

"No," Abi kyboshed the plan with startling finality, "bring your pet. My mother has always found humans amusing."

Sesshoumaru's lip curled. "Then she will come with us."

Kagome smiled wider. "Of course, Sesshoumaru-sama."

* * *

Sighing with no little relief when Abi agreed to return to his mother's more lavish shiro for the evening, Sesshoumaru sought out the little miko.

She stood in the garden, the moonlight illuminating her pale skin and making her eyes glitter.

"Kagome."

She glanced his way for a second, hurt resonating in those deep blue eyes, before turning her gaze back to the moon.

Sesshoumaru glanced at the orb hanging above them for a moment, sighing. "Kagome. I have to—"

She didn't give him a chance to say any more, simply turning and walking back to the shiro. A low growl rumbled in his chest and he was beside her in an instant.

"Kagome," he rumbled, grabbing her arm and spinning her briskly to face him. "I want you. Not her."

"You have a funny way of showing it," she mumbled, gazing at his throat as she avoided his gaze.

"I had no reason to reject her suit. No one knows about us."

"Is there an us?" her gaze sought his out and held his. "Why can't you just admit it to everyone? Are you ashamed of me?"

"Someone is already trying to dispose of me," he attempted to explain, "exposing our relationship would put you in even more danger."

The rational part of Kagome had to admit that this sounded plausible. But she didn't want to be rational right at that moment. "I'd rather that than have to watch her touching you," Kagome snapped, "I won't be your dirty secret whilst you gallivant around with Abi-hime, Sesshoumaru. I have more self-respect than that."

"Kagome, be rational—"

"I'm sleeping alone tonight," Kagome snarled, yanking her arm from his. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Kagome, wait!"

But the little miko had already stormed off through the shiro, wearing her anger and upset like a cloak. If Sesshoumaru hadn't known any better, he could have sworn he felt a tension headache seeping in, but demons didn't get those. Supposedly.

And he hadn't even had time to warn her that he thought Abi might be up to something other than a forced mating. Something told him that if he went after her now, he was liable to have his head bitten off by an angry miko.

With a deep sigh, he stared up at the stars and blithely wondered if this was the 'doghouse' his father had often spoken of when he was a pup.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed my update, I took a little longer than I would've liked to update, so apologies. I hope you liked this chapter enough to drop me a review, I love hearing from you guys!


	22. Payback

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Bringing her knees to her chest, Kagome sighed, rubbing at her tired eyes. Attempting to sleep in her own bed hadn't boded very well for her; she'd rarely had such a restless night's sleep. Her temper had cooled enough to appreciate that Sesshoumaru thought he was protecting her. But she couldn't disagree more. It was more painful to be put to one side like this, to watch him with Abi-hime, than being stabbed.

She was more sad than angry now. But sadness wasn't helpful; she needed to be strong. Summoning her irritation, she fumed a little; how dare Sesshoumaru decide that their relationship should be secret. She'd been happy to go along with it before, but now, when she thought about it, this all seemed ridiculous. She'd rather be his lover and hunted, than his pet. Did he really think that she would put up with being his mistress? There was no way that she would allow him to do such a thing; regardless of what everyone else assumed, she was not a toy to be picked up and dropped as the demons pleased.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru's voice was muffled through the door between them, and Kagome felt the separation like physical pain.

"I'm coming," she sighed, dragging herself out of the bed. There was only one way to close the distance between them, and, with this farce Sesshoumaru insisted on, it was impossible.

His footsteps trailed away and Kagome sighed softly. "I'm beginning to hate princesses."

* * *

If Kagome wore her anger like a cloak and her smile like a weapon, then Sesshoumaru's frustration surrounded them in a cloud. Nami grinned; it was rare to see her son actively sulking. Not that he'd admit to it, of course.

They were off to the stables, to acquire a steed in order to travel to Abi's mountain province. Kagome didn't seem to be very happy about this, if you could see past the vapid smile, as Nami could, and her son seemed ready to gut someone.

"Have fun!" she cheered, enjoying the deadly smile and evil growl thrown her way.

* * *

Not even her previously sour mood could stop Kagome's eyes from lighting up as they reached the stables. When Sesshoumaru had informed her that they were acquiring a steed to travel to Abi-hime's home in the mountains, she'd assumed he'd been talking about a horse.

This stable was filled with actual dragons. She was about a metre away from a dragon with iridescent silver scales and a pale blue mane running along its neck; it met her gaze calmly as it chewed on some hay.

Repressing the urge to gasp, Kagome followed Sesshoumaru through the stables, taking in the assembled dragons with wide eyes and a joyful heart. Her painted smile morphed into a genuine one as a particularly bold dragon snuffled at the top of her head as she passed its paddock. She couldn't help the giggle that escaped and she swore she saw a look of relief flit across Sesshoumaru's features at the sound.

"Come," he murmured gently, placing a hand on her shoulder as he steered her towards a slightly larger enclosure. Unable to resurrect her anger, she allowed him to push her along, eyes rounding as she glimpsed the dragon-steed.

After a moment of stunned silence, Kagome finally found her voice. "It's a two headed dragon."

It was the first thing she'd said since they'd left the shiro and Sesshoumaru glanced at her tentatively as she stared at Ah-Un. He'd been besotted by the strange dragon as a child and had begged his mother to buy it for him. The steed was strong, powerful, with glossy emerald scales, a glossy ebony mane and considerable intelligence that some beings didn't afford it. He wondered if a two-headed dragon-steed would prove to be the end of her tolerance.

"Yes, this is Ah-Un."

Ah inclined his head in a half-greeting, whilst Un tilted his head inquisitively as he watched the newcomer.

"So cute," Kagome whispered, taking everyone by surprise by holding out her hands. This was dragon etiquette, letting a beast get to know your scent before you rode it was considered polite.

Ah butted her hand with his great scaly head, snuffling around her wrist cautiously, Un – on the other hand – decided to dive in, snuffling up her arm until he wrapped his neck around her shoulders in a curious dragon-hug. Sesshoumaru's lips quirked in a secret smile.

"It seems they like you."

Kagome grinned up at him from Un's hug, scratching the amorous dragon's chin in a way that made Un's eyes roll and prompted Ah to compete for the same attention. The scene made him feel a little more comfortable about dragging Kagome along on this excursion; his dragons would protect the vulnerable woman if Abi did something untoward. He was already on guard after Abi's insistence that Kagome travel with them.

Leaning over the little miko, he gripped Ah's bridle, pinioning Kagome against the steed's flank. It was a chance to tell her what she'd been refusing to hear, and he refused to pass up on the opportunity. "Abi is up to something, and going along with this mating will reveal her intents. I need you to play along, Kagome."

Kagome's hurt gaze met his, a frown usurping her smile. "So you aren't attempting to keep me as a mistress so you can mate into power?" she clarified, hesitantly. Her heart thrummed, but she wondered if she was being foolish. Unfortunately, her silly heart still wanted to trust him.

Sesshoumaru did a double take. This was the reason for her anger? The conclusion she had jumped to hadn't even occurred to him. "I find most beings other than you vile," he confessed, "I will never mate that vulture."

Kagome smiled softly. She supposed that this was Sesshoumaru's way of telling her he liked her quite a lot. It was kind of cute. But she was still kind of angry. "If you ever do this to me again, I'll use you for target practice," she promised, saccharine sweetness dripping from each lowly uttered word.

Reminding himself that he'd faced stronger foes, Sesshoumaru nevertheless nodded hastily.

* * *

Leaning as far over the edge of Ah-Un's saddle as she dared, Kagome stared at the landscape spanning out beneath them in complete awe. She'd almost had a heart attack when the dragon had taken to the skies, but now she'd calmed down; she was demon-village spotting.

Some of them were ostentatious, contained within the walls of dazzling shiros. Some homes lived in solitude on the edges of rivers or cliffs. Some hamlets hid in the shadows of vast mountains. Others blended in so well with forests that she could barely tell the houses from the trees. Eventually, Sesshoumaru grabbed her by her obi, tugging her back onto the saddle in front of him and directed her gaze towards the approaching mountains with a cursory point of one claw.

"Those are the Northern mountains," Sesshoumaru murmured into her ear so that she could hear him over the rushing wind. Kagome shivered slightly and Sesshoumaru was left wondering whether it had been due to his proximity or due to the unknown conflict they were heading towards.

"Sure are a lot of birds," Kagome commented musingly as the critters seemed to all take to the skies at once, drowning out the bright sunshine and turning the sky black.

"Bird demons," Sesshoumaru cautioned with a glare. "Abi's people. Most bird demons are too ruled by their instincts to ever achieve a humanoid form."

"Does that mean Abi is very powerful?" Kagome asked tentatively.

"For a bird demon," Sesshoumaru scoffed as Ah-Un began their descent. Kagome fought the impulse to snigger; Sesshoumaru's blinding arrogance was certainly a source of amusement.

Ah-Un touched down gently on the ledge of the highest cliff, and Sesshoumaru helped Kagome from the saddle with a hand at her waist and her wrist. Kagome smiled her thanks even as she peered around Sesshoumaru's large frame and into the depths of the cave.

"This is where Abi-hime lives?" Kagome asked uncertainly; she doubted there was another place on earth that screamed 'lair' as much as this one did.

Sesshoumaru's bottom lip curled. "Unfortunately." He began to stride towards the entrance, surprised when Kagome grabbed a handful of his sleeve, halting him in his tracks.

Scuffing at the ground with one toe, she all but whispered, "What if she isn't planning anything? What if all she wants is to mate you?"

"It will not matter," Sesshoumaru assured her, squeezing the hand that held his sleeve reassuringly, "I will not accept anyone less than you, Kagome."

Kagome let out the breath she'd been holding. "Are you sure you can do that? I mean isn't she really important?"

"I am more important," he replied archly, causing her to giggle at his haughty manner.

A slow smile quirked Kagome's lips. "I'm so glad I brought my bow."

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Abi-hime greeted as she exited the cave in a swish of silk. The princess was as put-together as ever, but the facade of politeness was slipping slightly, her eyes were no longer blank but now filled with hunger. Kagome frowned, removing her hand from Sesshoumaru's sleeve and grabbed a hold of Ah-Un's reins.

"Where will they sleep?" she asked Abi, assuming there would be some kind of stable somewhere for the affectionate double headed dragon.

Abi gave her a surprised glance, as if she hadn't expected Kagome to speak to her. There was a long pause as Abi looked at Kagome with broiling red eyes. "It will be seen to, leave it here and follow."

Kagome scowled at Abi's back but followed anyway, not before shooting a look at Sesshoumaru which promised redemption. She was really beginning to loathe being thought of as his pet.

They walked into the cavernous space and Abi turned to give Kagome a condescending look. "Stay here," she ordered imperiously as she beckoned Sesshoumaru to follow her down a corridor into another part of the cave.

"Stay safe," Sesshoumaru murmured as he passed.

Kagome sighed as they left and shifted uncomfortably. There were hundreds of birds roosting in the cave, all watching her with dead eyes; she was beginning to feel like an insect under a microscope.

Not only was she uncomfortable, she was concerned about Sesshoumaru. If he suspected Abi of some sort of treachery, surely he needed someone to watch his back. A small voice at the back of her mind interjected with the notion that he might be upholding his end of the mating bargain. She grit her teeth and attempted to control her breathing; he wouldn't do that. Not after he'd told her he wouldn't. She had to remember that Sesshoumaru was only playing along with Abi.

A sinking sensation gripped her at the same time a shiver ran down her spine and Kagome slowly turned to face a darkened corner of the cave.

"So, you are the human pet," a voice crooned, and Kagome slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle the shout of surprise as an eye opened in the darkness. An eye about the size of Kagome.

Kagome couldn't say anything; she didn't know what to say. Was there proper etiquette for talking to a giant red eye?

"I don't doubt you will do just the trick," the voice continued, "you see, I happen to have recently eaten someone that didn't agree with me and I have heard that human blood is the perfect antidote."

Kagome backed up rapidly. The giant eye was threatening to eat her; this day was officially the worst day ever. Unfortunately for the young woman, she'd forgotten the nesting bird demons and only just managed to avoid being reduced to ribbons by a timely duck as one whooshed past her head.

"My demon birds will drain you dry," the voice cackled.

Kagome looked up at the eye from her position sprawled on the cave floor and rolled to avoid another of the bird's attempts. They'd yet to attack as a group and Kagome was pretty sure they were drawing it out to torture her.

"I refuse to die by birds!" Kagome snapped, kicking out at the next bird that decided to try its luck and grimacing at the crunch her geta made when it impacted with the bird's skull.

The voice growled, sounding impatient. "Just kill her!"

Kagome bit her lip as all the birds settled their beady eyes on her at once. "Perfect."

* * *

Sesshoumaru followed Abi cautiously through the maze of tunnels until she led him into a chamber which was approximately the same size as the first chamber they'd walked through, but this one contained a bed. And, he mused as the stone door rolled shut behind him, was sorely lacking in escape routes.

"I thought I was here to see your mother," Sesshoumaru intoned.

Abi smiled softly, wandering to light another of the strange scented candles that littered the room with the fire she appeared to able to conjure.

"You thought wrong," she countered as she turned on him. "You are here to impregnate me."

Sesshoumaru blinked blandly as she undid her obi and let her kimono drop. He didn't care enough to gaze on her flesh, instead staring at an interesting spot on the wall.

"No."

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice," she countered, picking up a three-pronged halberd he had noticed leaning at the foot of the bed. "The candles in this room are aphrodisiacs, you will not be able to resist for long."

Sesshoumaru almost rolled his eyes. Did this woman think that this was the first time a bitch had locked him in a room filled with aphrodisiacs? Calmly, he drew his sword and advanced on the bitch, frowning when his sword merely glanced off a barrier that her weapon seemed to be casting.

"I can wait until you are out of your mind with lust," she assured him with a smile.

There was a scathing reply on the tip of his tongue, but it was halted by the scream that echoed through the cave. Kagome.

He glowered at the bitch. "What did you do?"

"Mother was dying, I simply fed your little pet to her," Abi smiled triumphantly, "you can find another one. I heard there are millions in the human world."

Sesshoumaru smiled.

* * *

Kagome held her side as she rolled away from the demon that had just attempted to suck her blood; it was more painful than she'd thought it would be. Unfortunately, another was on her instantly, as they were now attacking on mass, and she was pretty sure she was about to be overwhelmed.

And then the space above her cleared in a blaze of fire and Kagome sat up quickly. Ah and Un charged into the fray, Un lifting her to sit on their back and Ah tilting his head back to barbeque the annoying little birds.

"No!" the voice screamed in outrage, almost drowning out the sound of exploding rock.

Seconds later, Sesshoumaru exploded into the cavern, eyes red and feral, sword drawn. With a snarl of pure disgust, he lashed out with his sword and a giant meidou appeared in the middle of the demon eye swallowing the taunting demon and all of the demon birds that had been assembled in the cave.

"What was that?" Kagome asked bemusedly.

"Tensaiga," Sesshoumaru grunted, hefting his sword in explanation.

"Your sword has a name?" Kagome asked curiously, "and where did they go?"

"The underworld."

"Sounds fun."

The bizarre conversation was cut short by the appearance of a decidedly naked Abi holding her three-pronged halberd and looking like someone had kicked her puppy. Or murdered her mother.

"You!" she screamed, lashing out with the halberd.

Unfortunately for the princess, she was a little too late; Kagome had already fired an arrow at the woman. The arrow was filled with Kagome's contempt for the woman that had almost torn her and Sesshoumaru apart; there was no stopping the miko ki from flaring to life – even if they were dramatically reduced from full potency by the brand at the side of Kagome's neck.

The arrow hit Abi in the centre of her chest and the demon princess crumbled into dust as she was engulfed by Kagome's purifying power.

Kagome turned to look at Sesshoumaru. "Oops," she mumbled, "I guess my powers knew I was angry."

The bird demons that had been circling the outside of the mountain seemed to finally register that they were under attack, they turned at once to rip and tear with their talons, but were instead carved into little pieces by blades of wind.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru blinked as Kagura drifted into view, riding a feather and scowling. Her hair had fallen from its perfect up-do and her clothes looked singed and dirty.

"That bitch is already dead, isn't she?" Kagura growled, shaking her head, "And I was so looking forward to ripping her limb from limb."

"What happened?" Kagome asked bemusedly.

"Stupid bitch killed off all her competition and attempted to kill me too," Kagura snarled, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna find a hot springs and never leave."

And with that, the irate wind demoness flew off, muttering obscenities under her breath.

Kagome leant back in Ah-Un's saddle, holding onto the shallow cut a lucky bird had managed to make as the pain finally began to register.

"Let's go home," Kagome murmured tiredly.

Sesshoumaru nodded solemnly, tucking his sword back into his sash, he took a seat behind her on Ah-Un's saddle and they took to the skies. Kagome frowned as Sesshoumaru ripped one of his sleeves clean off but allowed him to tie it around her side as a kind of temporary bandage.

Kagome settled her back against Sesshoumaru's chest, basking in his warmth as they soared through the skies. His claws ran carefully over her uninjured side, she glanced over her shoulder at him as his movements caused a shiver to run down her spine.

"Are you okay?" she asked curiously.

Sesshoumaru's scowl spoke volumes. "I should not have taken you into danger," he said mulishly, his voice rumbling in his chest.

"Like I would have let you go in alone," she replied archly.

Sesshoumaru grunted. "Since I have met you, I have made one mistake after another. You could have died and it would have been my fault." He rested his chin on the top of her head and wrapped his other arm around her waist gently.

"I think it's about time you realised something," Kagome replied teasingly, clasping the hand around her waist with two of hers, "in this relationship, from the very beginning, I've been the one protecting you."

There was a long pause as Sesshoumaru processed this.

Kagome laughed at the shock she could feel radiating from the demon sat behind her. "By the way, why was Abi naked?"

Recovering the use of his vocal faculties, Sesshoumaru managed to murmur, "She planned to seduce me."

"Huh."

"The ceiling was more interesting," he informed her truthfully.

And the little miko started laughing; the deadpan voice, the sombre expression, the lip curled with disgust made it impossible to control her laughter. She laughed until his dry chuckle cut into her mirth. The sound warming her heart even as she attempted to commit it to memory.

* * *

Biting his lip, Sesshoumaru carefully wrapped the bandages around Kagome's middle. They were sat in the middle of their futon; Kagome's sleeping yukata pooled around her waist so that she was naked from the waist up. He sat behind her, carefully tightening the bandages so that they didn't cause her undue discomfort.

Unfortunately, his professional and distant demeanour was slipping. Kagome already tested his self-control just by sleeping in his bed, but now she was half-naked and he'd been exposed to some powerful aphrodisiacs. Warring with his arousal was his rage at seeing Kagome's delicate flesh damaged. He was sorely tempted to resurrect Abi purely to kill her with his own claws.

He was unable to stop himself from trailing his claws gently along her spine.

"S-Sesshoumaru?" she whispered, glancing at him over her shoulder with the most adorable blush on her cheeks.

A groan escaped his lips and he couldn't stop himself from claiming her lips. She was obviously surprised, but relaxed into the kiss, teasing his bottom lip with her blunt teeth.

With another groan he pulled away and carefully pulled her kimono back up onto her shoulders. "I'm sorry I made you doubt my intentions towards you."

Kagome grinned impishly. "It's fine; tomorrow you can tell your mother exactly who I am to you."

Shocked golden eyes gazed into serenely wicked blue orbs until Kagome drew in close enough to rest her cheek against his chest, snuggling up against him like some kind of kitten. Sesshoumaru cast his eyes to the ceiling, wondering mulishly how he ended up in these impossible situations.

* * *

A/N: Whew! Kagome's on a roll and doesn't Sesshoumaru know it? I hope you enjoyed the update enough to drop me a little review! Thanks for reading.


	23. Forward March

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

It was within Sesshoumaru's nature to act according to the situation, he could be as smooth as a politician, as crafty as a merchant, as diplomatic as a leader or as cosseting as a healer. Yet, thanks to Kagome's thinly veiled demand, he was left stumped as to strategy. Telling his mother about their relationship could result in any number of scenarios. Some of them more painful to comprehend than others.

Attempting to soften his mother up would undoubtedly lead to her extracting the information from him painfully, leaving him as embarrassed as a whelp with his first love. Attempting to artfully allude to his relationship with Kagome would not do either; when met with subtlety his mother tended to react with all the grace of a sledgehammer made of condescension. Which meant he was going to have to tell her simply, calmly and confidently that he was courting a human. A human miko. Well, maybe he'd gloss over certain details.

Kagome peeled the door open and smiled at the sight of Sesshoumaru pacing a groove into the wooden floor of the corridor. Perhaps it had been a little evil of her to demand that he tell his mother about their relationship, but after his little undercover operation to expose Abi had shaken her faith in him, she needed the reassurance that he was hers.

"You okay out here?" she asked softly.

Sesshoumaru paused in his pacing and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm fine."

Barefoot, she padded to his side and slipped her arms around his waist, dropping her head onto his shoulder. His arm came around her shoulders, holding her close.

"You realise that if I tell my mother about us, it is possible that your life will be put at risk," Sesshoumaru murmured, staring up at the serene blue skies overhead.

"Only a single one of your suitors has survived coming to this shiro after I've lived here," Kagome replied dryly, "I think I may have set a bit of a deterrent."

"Indeed that may perturb some females, but there will be others who will disapprove of this. Some who see humans as below us," he expounded slowly, a faraway look in his eyes.

"And maybe this will prompt whoever attempted to hurt you to crawl out of the woodwork," Kagome reasoned, tapping the brand on the side of her neck with her index finger. "Or had you forgotten about that?"

Sesshoumaru quirked an affronted brow at the little miko. "I had not forgotten. But it is hard to track the untraceable. Whoever did that to me," he rubbed his thumb over the brand on her neck, "had no scent and no youki."

"A perfect assassin." Kagome's brows creased in worry.

"Not quite," Sesshoumaru reassured her, "for all their natural skills they were still lacking in stealth; I heard their footsteps."

"Well, whoever is out to get you thinks you're still weakened," Kagome reasoned, "flaunting our relationship in their faces may prompt them to do something rash."

"Spin doctor," he accused lightly, kissing the tip of her nose.

Kagome grinned. "Sometimes."

* * *

Nami glanced up curiously when her servant pulled back the screen door to admit her son. She'd come to accept that Sesshoumaru never visited unless he absolutely had to for political reasons, normally if she desired the company of her son she had to invade his shiro and nag him.

"Sesshoumaru," she greeted, "how nice of you to drop in."

The grunted reply was as she expected and she watched contemplatively as he sank onto a cushion opposite her.

Nami gestured with an elegant hand at the reports littering the chabudai in front of her. "My general tells me we have suddenly gained some territory in the Northern Mountains," she hummed, "something about the sudden untimely death of an entire clan of bird demons. So how is your betrothed, Abi-hime?"

The narrowing of those cold golden eyes alerted her to the fact that her humour was not appreciated. "Dead."

"Oh dear," Nami murmured, "I'll have to send her mother a letter of sympathy."

"Haha-ue-sama," he ground out impatiently.

Nami chuckled dryly. "Well, we'll have no one saying that a human pet has made you soft," she mused. "But what exactly did you come here for, dear?"

"I'm keeping Kagome."

Nami blinked at him bemusedly. "I know."

"She is mine and I will keep her," he elaborated haltingly.

Nami tilted her head to one side questioningly. "Yes, yes, I understand you want to keep her, but for what? She's certainly pretty enough, but I doubt we can use her as a wall hanging."

"She is mine," he reiterated.

"Yes, your pet," Nami agreed, quirking an eyebrow at him, "Am I perhaps missing something?"

"I am courting Kagome."

Nami threw back her head and cackled. "Ha!" she exclaimed gleefully, "I actually got you to admit it!"

"You knew?" he questioned his voice a treble growl that would have sent anyone else running for the newly vacated Northern Mountains.

"As your mother it is my job to know these things," Nami informed him condescendingly, "and to make you admit to them."

And this was exactly why he'd commissioned a shiro of his own to be built as far away from his mother as he could without seeming suspicious. He drummed his claw tips on the table, irked at having performed for his mother's amusement.

"You realise the news may come as a shock to many," the western lady commented offhandedly, staring into the middle distance, "or as a taunt."

Sesshoumaru bared his fangs arrogantly. "Perhaps it is time to uncover a rat."

* * *

Thanking her lucky stars that she wasn't too jumpy when startled, Kagome lowered her bow and quirked a brow at Kagura. "You think it mightn't have been such a good idea to materialise in front of the woman with the bow?" she asked sardonically.

The toothy grin Kagura sported merely widened. "I didn't materialise, I just walked up to you. It's hardly my fault that your feeble human faculties couldn't keep up with the movement."

Kagome brought her bow back up and pursed her lips. "Can your demonic faculties keep up with my arrow?"

For a moment the two females both stood there staring cattily at each other until finally Kagura grinned genuinely. "We done?" she asked amusement colouring her tone.

Kagome laughed, placing her bow on the grass carefully. "Yeah," she agreed with an easy shrug.

"Heard on the grapevine that Sesshoumaru's courting you," Kagura mentioned nonchalantly.

Kagome settled onto the grass, sitting back against one of the trees with a sigh. "News travels fast, huh?" she asked with an impish grin.

Kagura settled opposite the little human, legs crossed and grinned back. "You got a death wish, Kagome?"

"Nope," Kagome sang. "I have a plan."

"A plan."

"It's a little vague," Kagome expounded, "but I find the best plans usually are."

Chuckling at the human's obtuse nature, Kagura leant back, propping her hand behind her on the grass to keep her upright. "And why do you need a plan?"

"Someone's trying to kill Sesshoumaru," she informed Kagura lightly, like they were talking about the weather and not the conspiracy to murder a lord.

"So you tell everyone you and Sesshoumaru are in a courtship?" Kagura asked, tone suggesting she didn't hold out too much hope for Kagome's sanity.

"Why not?" Kagome asked light-heartedly, "It will probably piss them off even more, and then maybe they'll actually do something! I'm honestly sick of all this looking over my shoulder crap."

Kagura turned her gaze to the cloudless blue expanse of sky and shook her head. "The fact that you think enraging an assassin is a good idea –"

"Makes you question my sanity?" Kagome cut in wryly.

Kagura pursed her lips and shook her head again, glancing at the little human. "It makes me glad to be on your side."

"Oh?"

"Yep," Kagura nodded, "nothing worse than fighting against someone as unpredictable as you."

"I'm not sure if that was a compliment."

Kagura merely snorted in reply.

* * *

Staring grumpily out of his kitchen window, Kouga took in Kagome's still-empty flat and – not for the first time – yearned to strangle the wily monk he'd found lurking in his neighbour's apartment. Unfortunately, he was unable to even get within arm's reach of the monk thanks to the man's overwhelming reiki.

"She's not going to materialise just because you're staring at her home hard enough to melt glass," the annoying monk in question harangued him. Currently the monk with the violet eyes sat at his kitchen table, eating his cookies and drinking his tea and generally being an irritant.

Kouga growled.

"Down, Fido," the monk joked around a mouthful of cookie.

Not for the first time, Kouga wished he could hurt the man. Folding his arms over his well-muscled chest, he turned to face the nonchalant human with his best intimidating glare firmly in place. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" the irate werewolf demanded.

Miroku closed one eye as if thinking and then opened it with a grin. "Nope."

The monk literally lived here. He'd moved into Kouga's home shortly after finishing fixing Kagome's battered front door, and he hadn't left since – regardless of the death threats he received on an almost daily basis.

He didn't say much either. Sure, the human prattled about the weather, the temple he worked at, what kind of tea he preferred, but the monk could be remarkably silent when it came to matters of actual importance. Like where the hell Kagome had disappeared to. And he knew; Kouga knew that the monk was hiding the information though, for some reason.

"Why are you here?" Kouga demanded for the umpteenth time.

"Well, it would be rude to stay in Kagome's apartment without her permission," Miroku explained airily.

_Evasive little_... Kouga cut off his train of thought before he gave into the urge to throttle the man – running up against the barrier of purifying power the man wore like a cape was not a pleasant experience.

Throwing his hands up into the air, Kouga growled, "I give up! Just tell me something, monk, is Kagome-san safe?"

Miroku dropped the jaunty smile, eyes darkening as his mouth drew into a serious line. "Yes, she is safe."

So, why then, did Kouga get the impression the monk had stopped short of saying; _for now_?

* * *

Eyes widening, Kagome backed away from the monstrosity laid out in front of her. When she'd been a little girl dreaming of becoming a princess, she'd always wanted to try wearing a jūnihitoe, but now, looking at the intricately patterned silk, she thought it looked like twelve layers of extremely heavy, fussy, death.

"No," she shook her head vehemently, "I can't wear that stifling thing." She turned accusatory eyes upon Nami. "You don't even wear anything so extravagant."

Nami tittered, causing Kagome's eyes to narrow; this woman was enjoying her pain. "Calm yourself, little hysterical human, this will only be worn so that you may be introduced to the lords of my land without bringing shame down upon my son."

The son in question quirked a self-satisfied brow, as if to rebuke her. She'd made him talk to his mother about _feelings_ and so now, in some kind of bizarre divine punishment, she had to suffer for it under a dozen layers of silk. Shooting him a brief glare, she turned her attention back to his smirking mother.

"Are you positive that I have to be introduced?" Kagome wheedled, uncaring at the whine in her tone. She'd wanted acknowledgement of her relationship, but she hadn't much counted on being paraded in front of minor lords from Nami's kingdom so that they could give their approval... or their disdain.

"If we declare that Sesshoumaru is courting you and then we don't arrange a meeting it will seem as if Sesshoumaru is ashamed of you," Nami cajoled, "or that we are incredibly rude."

Sesshoumaru snorted, as if he thought the assessment was pretty accurate and Nami shot him a contemplative look.

"Overtly rude," she corrected dryly, "you know how I hate to be blatant."

Fingering the sleeve of the jūnihitoe, Kagome turned her sceptical gaze on the Lady of the West, "Far be it for you to ever be ostentatious."

Nami's grin merely widened with mirth. "I must say, little human, the more I'm in your company, the more I come to adore you."

"But not enough to let me off the hook, right?" Kagome guessed ruefully.

"No, but if it's any consolation Sesshoumaru will have to keep company with other people he can't stand and be hospitable and _sociable_," she whispered the last as if it were a dirty word and, judging by the menacing growl from her son, he certainly thought it was.

* * *

The old dragon read the missive, a frown creased his brow and he read the letter again. Normally he discounted his flighty cousin's letters, the man simply adored to gossip, and his letters never contained anything of any worth. But this time his cousin's gossip had snagged his attention.

"Asuka?"

"Yes, my lord?" his manservant replied, appearing instantly in the doorway.

"Is this true?" he held up the letter demonstratively.

Asuka's lowered gaze flickered momentarily to the letter and then back down to the polished floor. "Yes, my lord, I too have heard the rumours."

The dragon watched dispassionately as the tip of the scroll caught fire and released the letter as it crumbled into ash. "A dog playing house with a human, eh?" he murmured, eyes sharpening as he glanced out at the waning moon.

"Preposterous."

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It would make my day if you would leave me a review. Also a big thanks to all those who nominated and voted in this quarter's Dokuga awards; _In From the Cold _placed 1st for Best Alternative Universe and 2nd for Best Romance!


	24. Inquisition

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome drooped from her impeccable seiza, her forehead hitting the tatami below her. Her knees were now trapped beneath her body in an awkward position, but she couldn't find it in her to care enough to rectify the problem.

"You're doing well," Nami praised, calmly pouring herself another cup of tea. "You've built up stamina in holding that impeccable seiza, and you no longer walk like a peasant."

Kagome turned her head so her cheek was pressing against the tatami and growled at the Lady of the West. "I thoroughly dislike you."

Nami quirked a silver eyebrow. "Said like a true daughter-in-law. Now, do try to sit up, you've tatami marks imprinted into your skin."

Kagome closed her eyes resignedly. "I think my legs have fallen asleep," she admitted sheepishly.

Nami chuckled and rose elegantly to her feet. Stepping nonchalantly over the ungainly human, the demoness's eyes glowed at the human's squeals as she flung the screen doors open. Light tumbled into the room, dappled a pretty pink colour from the sakura blossoms clinging to the trees in her garden.

"Aine," she called sweetly.

A fraction of a second later a woman appeared, bowing low, on the walkway outside the room. "Yes, my lady?" she asked quietly, eyes downturned respectfully.

"Do help the human up," Nami commanded dryly, "she appears to be stuck."

"You could have done it yourself," came the heated retort from inside.

Nami's eyes widened theatrically as she pressed a claw-tipped hand to her breast, "The idea never occurred to me," she lied saccharinely as Aine slipped past her and carefully put Kagome back into a seated position.

Narrowing her eyes at the yokai she was relying on, Kagome wondered exactly how she'd come to rely on a sadist to avoid humiliation.

"Anyway," the Western Lady murmured around a faux yawn, "I think I've helped you enough for one day."

Kagome blithely wondered exactly how poking, prodding and patronising converted into help in the warped demoness's mind.

"So I'll leave you in Aine's capable hands," Nami continued, folding her arms inside her sleeves, "she is an expert in manners."

Cantankerously, Kagome decided it was probably best that someone other than Nami teach her courtly manners. If she acted like the mischievous Lady, Kagome would undoubtedly be murdered by the visiting dignitaries.

Appearing to guess the extents of Kagome's thoughts, Nami bared her teeth in a bizarre parody of a smile. "Don't go easy on her, Aine-chan."

'Aine-chan' gave a respectful bow to her lady before turning back to Kagome, sharp black eyes running in an assessing manner over her.

"Oh dear," Aine sighed at the end of her appraisal, and Kagome couldn't help but reflect the sentiment.

* * *

Bare feet landed lightly on the soil surrounding the mountain caves that had – not too long ago – belonged to the bird demons. Disaffected red eyes surveyed the bird corpses, the hole carved into the mountain and the blood spattered rock in one fell swoop.

Nonchalantly picking his way through scattered corpses, the figure entered the main cavern where the queen of the birds had once resided. Nothing remained to tell that she had ever been there, not even a few feathers; indeed half of the cave wall had been carved out of existence. Padding across the cold stone, the figure reached the three-pronged halberd that lay discarded on the floor, next to a pile of ash.

Bending, the man picked up the weapon and sighed. "Good minions are so hard to come by," he mused as, with a twist of his fingers, the halberd dispersed into dust like its master.

A low rumble in the distance caused the crouching figure to stand and he watched passively as a grey-skinned dragon flew through the skies towards the mountain. Calmly, he slipped into the shadows.

The dragon landed with a crash on the mountain top and, a swirl of violent youki later, a shrewd-looking man wearing spiked battle armour took the place of the beast. With cold grey eyes he surveyed the carnage, a smaller man who seemed to materialise beside him also took in the ruin with a quick assessing gaze.

"The boy truly did this for a human?" the dragon speculated as he callously kicked a bird corpse from his path, nose wrinkled in distaste. He had no sympathy for the birds, but could not hold the pup's actions in high esteem considering his motives.

"My lord," the smaller man murmured, "you are vexed?"

The dragon turned sharply, crunching a bird skull beneath his booted foot as he strode off the mountain.

"Vexed," the dragon tried the word out in his jaws and spat it out, "no, that doesn't begin to describe me."

Purple youki spewed forth as the man casually dropped off the ledge of the cliff and seconds later the gnarled grey dragon shot into the skies with a treble roar that shook the surrounding scenery. With much less drama, the little manservant dropped off the cliff and vanished.

The silence of the dead once again reclaimed the mountaintop as red eyes peered out from the shadows.

"Interesting."

* * *

Sesshoumaru glanced up from his book as the sliding door slammed open hard enough to make the walls rattle. Kagome stood there, lit up by the moonlight that spilled through the hibiscus tree behind her, long hair fallen loose from its once elaborate hairstyle.

With a small groan of relief, the perplexing human girl quickly shed her outer layers until she was dressed only in the thin cotton of her under-layer and collapsed onto a kotatsu, hiding her face. Baffled, Sesshoumaru put his book down on the chabudai and cautiously edged forwards.

She let out a muffled scream of frustration and the demon lord froze. He wasn't sure how to deal with Kagome when she was frustrated; when he was frustrated he wandered into taverns and took his anger out on those foolish enough to challenge him. He got the feeling that suggesting a tavern trip wouldn't go down too well at the moment though and cautiously patted her shoulder.

She jerked into a sitting position and cocked her head to one side, staring at him from under her hair.

"Your mother is cruel," she grumbled, crawling forward until she pressed her cheek against his chest. Sesshoumaru enclosed her in his arms and nuzzled her hair as she settled more comfortably into his lap.

"Hn."

"I've been learning _manners_ from Aine-san," Kagome continued, playing with his brightly coloured sash absently.

"Ah," Sesshoumaru breathed, rubbing her back soothingly. In demonic society it was important to be courteous, and there were rigorous protocols in place that were strictly adhered to when visiting dignitaries came to stay. But Sesshoumaru could already predict that it wasn't the new rules that had caused Kagome to become frazzled. Aine had most likely been teaching Kagome how to be unemotional, serene and wear herself like a demon.

"It's hard," she mumbled, "acting like a lady is alright, I guess, but it's the duality of it all that gets to me."

"You are an expressive person," he murmured, tracing patterns on her back with a claw tip, "so it will be hard."

"The superiority is hard to summon," she commented, "I'm not unconfident but it feels weird."

"You must learn it," he breathed, "as a human you will have to try even harder to summon the natural superiority of a woman in your position. They may appear wearing gilded robes, speak with unnatural politeness and move with grace but they are all predators. They will sense any weakness and they will not approve."

"I understand now why your mother is such a bitch," Kagome grumbled.

Sesshoumaru pursed his lips and frowned down at her. "What has being a female dog demon got to do with this?" he asked bemusedly.

Kagome punched his arm and glared at him, relieved to see the faint glimmer of humour in his eyes. "Very funny," she snipped.

Tucking her hair behind her ear, Sesshoumaru gazed down into her eyes seriously. "We could always elope," he suggested.

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm not running away, Sesshoumaru. Are you?"

Sesshoumaru knocked his forehead down onto hers, gathering her close almost reflexively. "No. But I cannot deny that the instinctual part of me wants to hide you away from all danger," the last came out a little gruffly and the tips of his ears flushed red.

Craning her neck to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth, she whispered, "Let's keep that as plan B, okay?"

* * *

Kagome was beginning to wish she'd agreed to elope.

Aine had been treating her like a life-size Barbie for the past hour as she primped and polished and coiffed and fussed. Eventually Kagome stood, swallowed in the twelve layers of the sunset coloured jūnihitoe, face covered in makeup and hair pulled into an elaborate style that was decorated with numerous hair ornaments.

She felt at least twelve stone heavier and she was sweltering under all her layers. But this was practise, Aine insisted, for the real thing. She needed Kagome to be able to competently sit and move whilst wearing the monstrosity.

Kagome grimaced and Aine swatted her in reprimand with her fan. "Do not show your discomfort," she scolded.

"I'm afraid that if I sit down in this I'll never get back up," Kagome grouched.

Aine smiled that smile which usually meant imminent pain. "Then, lets practise!" she sang cheerily.

It was then that Kagome knew they were actually trying to kill her.

* * *

The sun was slowly setting, bathing the shiro in a deep burgundy hue. Sesshoumaru sat casually on the outside path that bordered one of his gardens, eyes far away as he reflected.

"Nothing?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head slowly, gazing calmly out over the lake. "No youki, no scent, no aura. If they'd been trained in the art of stealth I would have been properly branded and rendered useless."

Bankotsu sighed, rubbing his temple as he concentrated. "So, what if we consider the possibility that they didn't want to kill you?"

Sesshoumaru canted his head in consideration. "It was clear that the infiltrator was no warrior, no assassin. It could be that they only meant to render me powerless."

He closed his eyes at the remembered sensation; he'd dodged the full intent of the bond, but the feeling of been drowned still remained. It had been as if attempting to appreciate the intricacies of the written word under water – everything had been murky and distant. He'd been unable to feel his beast and his flying skills had been severely diminished considering he used a cloud of youki to buffet him – youki that he'd suddenly not had access to. It wasn't a feeling he ever wanted to experience again.

"Why would someone want you powerless?" Bankotsu mused, "If they'd kill you, it would stand to reason that this was some kind of hostile takeover of the West by one of our enemies."

"Someone that power-hungry would not have been so easy to detect," Sesshoumaru murmured, wishing, for the umpteenth time that's he'd actually seen the assailant. Unfortunately, he'd dodged the first attack, the blow of the brand burning into the side of his neck but before he could retaliate, Rin had panicked.

It was a little known fact that ghosts were able to traverse planes of existence. They could move freely between the ningenkai and the makai, provided they steered clear of hell. Most ghosts were humans and most humans had no business in the makai, so it stood to reason that demons didn't really know about the ability ghosts had to traverse planes. Even he hadn't known until he'd found himself suddenly a hundred feet above Tokyo, unable to fly thanks to the half-brand on his neck.

Rin had apologised profusely for it when he'd returned. Explaining that she'd merely wished to remove him from harm's way – the little ghost hadn't even realised where she'd sent him.

"Are you sure the ghost didn't see who attacked you?" Bankotsu asked a little exasperatedly.

Rin, who had been listening from the topmost branch of a hibiscus tree, scowled at the assassin and shook her head emphatically.

"How could you have missed them?" Bankotsu queried antagonistically, "They had to have been right behind him!"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I was sat at the table," he recalled slowly, "Rin was sat beside me. When the assailant struck, I moved straight through Rin to escape and Rin panicked."

Rin bowed her head sheepishly.

Bankotsu tugged on the end of his dark braid uncomfortably. "Which brings something else into consideration; whoever branded you tricked the shiro into letting them enter."

Eyes round with horror, Rin looked to Sesshoumaru fearfully.

Sesshoumaru appeared unfazed. "We will not make the same mistakes twice," he uttered, completely confident.

* * *

Dressed simply in a cotton yukata, barefoot and barefaced, with her hair loose and tumbling down her shoulders in waves, Kagome walked into the room Nami had summoned her into. With a terse nod of her head the human sat opposite the reclining yokai with a decidedly unladylike plop. And then, with a deliberately challenging gaze directed at her hostess, she sat cross-legged.

The demoness's crimson painted lips quirked, revealing a glimpse of fang before the Western Lady casually leant back against the screen behind her, legs sprawled at comfortable angles in front of her. She even threw in a stretch for authenticity.

Kagome grinned. "You called?"

"Yes," Nami smiled wickedly, "Aine tells me she's never dealt with such a contrary person before. Apparently you're nearly as bad as I was." The demoness pursed her lips as if stifling a giggle. "And she also told me that your glares are becoming quite formidable."

"Thanks," Kagome murmured, wondering privately whether it wasn't a little strange to be proud of compliments when they were coming from a sadistic demoness.

Reaching into her silken sleeve, Nami calmly retrieved the meidou stone that Sesshoumaru had used to bring them to the makai and set it down on the chabudai with a resounding click. Kagome's dark gaze shot to Nami's cool golden stare.

"I could send you back to your home. Back to your human world," Nami spoke tonelessly, as if weighing each word, "You could escape all this chaos. I'm sure your human world was never as cutthroat as this realm." A single red claw-tip tapped the top of the meidou stone and the demoness pushed it along the table until it rested at Kagome's elbow.

Kagome glanced at the softly glittering stone. Her brother, mother, grandpa and friends all probably missed her. She thought forlornly of her little apartment and how empty it was. She thought of her little job and how it barely covered the mountain of bills. She thought of the chaotic city where you could be pressed up against a hundred people and feel so alone.

But she wasn't in the makai because she felt lonely.

Kagome touched the stone with her index finger and slid it back along the table to her hostess.

"Sesshoumaru needs me, I can't leave," Kagome told Nami, rising gracefully to her feet.

"You are a human; what possible strength do you have that my son requires?" Nami queried shrewdly.

"Even if I am weak and useless," Kagome murmured with a small smile, "I couldn't live with myself if I didn't protect that man. I can't help but protect him, even if he doesn't need me." She met Nami's gaze with a steady, serene stare and gestured at the demoness and her trinket, "But then, you obviously understand that."

Painted lips curled upwards as Nami slipped the stone back into her kimono. "You love my son?"

The little human turned her back on the demoness with a slight bow, walking to the doorway. She put her hand on the wooden frame and turned her head to gaze at Nami over one delicate shoulder. "I'm saving those words for him," she answered softly.

The door shut behind her with a faint thud.

Letting out a breath she hadn't consciously been holding, Nami turned her gaze to her beautiful garden, startled by its plainness in contrast to the dazzling girl who had just vacated her rooms. In visage the human was pretty, nothing particularly eye-catching, but her soul was extraordinary.

"My son certainly chose a strange woman," she told the stars, "with the heart of a lion and the body of a fawn."

Taking a sip of her almost forgotten tea, she reflected, "But it will certainly be an interesting story to watch unfold."

* * *

Drawing back the door to Sesshoumaru's bedroom, Kagome melted where she stood at the sight sprawled out on the futon before her.

In a tangle of sheets, silky hair and limbs, Sesshoumaru lay in the middle of the bed. His brows were furrowed adorably even in sleep and he hugged the blankets tightly like it was a person. Cautiously, so as not to wake him, she crawled into the warm bed, settling down at his side.

With a gentle hand she brushed some of his hair back from his face and giggled as he unconsciously leant into her hand. A snuffle at her wrist led to a smoothing out of his furrowed brows and, seconds later, his arm snaked out and looped around her waist.

She relaxed as he pulled her firmly against his broad chest, tucking her head into her place between his head and shoulder. The crook where she laid her head each night and allowed dreams to take her.

"I'm here now," she murmured softly as sleep eroded her cognitive processes. "We'll be alright."

* * *

A/N: Nami was mildly serious for once, but then she really loves her son regardless of her teasing. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, if you have a spare moment I'd love it if you told me what you thought in a review.


	25. Resolve

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome awoke to the sensations of fingers running along her side in a teasing pattern. Blinking drowsily, she peered down her body at Sesshoumaru who was inspecting the wound she'd received from their skirmish with the bird demons.

One of his long arms wrapped around a leg, pulling it close as he rested his head on her hip. She wondered absently where her sleeping yukata had gone, but didn't pursue the issue when she noticed Sesshoumaru's expression. Evidently there was something troubling the demon.

"It's healed," he pointed out, gesturing at the faint pink line of the wound before placing a kiss on the smooth skin.

Kagome smiled softly, running her fingers through the tuft of hair that stuck out at his temple. "When Aine-san stripped me to force me into the junhitoe she saw the wound," Kagome explained, "seconds later she was smearing something putrid smelling on it and forcing me to drink a concoction that tasted like battery acid." She stuck her tongue out in remembered revulsion. "But the wound healed really fast."

In a deliberate motion he covered the long scar with his large palm, eyes sliding to half-mast. "I hadn't noticed."

"You can't notice everything," she chastised, ruffling his hair and recreating the tufts she'd so lovingly smoothed.

A sigh escaped those tempting lips, and Kagome felt her heart swell a little at the emotions he shared with her, his stoic outer persona had felt cold at first. But now, now she was possessive of his moods; they were hers to monopolise.

"Acknowledging our relationship feels like its pushing us apart," Sesshoumaru mumbled into the flesh of her hip. "We hardly see each other."

"I'm a little lonely too," she affirmed, voicing the emotion he would never find words for, "but this is just a hurdle, Sesshoumaru. If we jump this we'll be back to our life."

'Our life', something about that phrase sounded implicitly right to the yokai, it made his chest hurt but not unpleasantly. With an abrupt tug, he dragged the little miko down the futon until she was nestled beneath him, wearing a waspish smile.

"Hi," she whispered against his lips.

"Kagome." Her name was a sigh on his lips, breathed into her mouth it became a plea, and he quickly surrendered his worries to their kiss.

* * *

Heat poured from the rocks beneath them, making Kagome glad she'd allowed Sesshoumaru to chivalrously carry her, and when she said chivalrously, she meant that – as per usual- he'd bent and thrown her over his shoulder. The demon himself walked barefoot and she held his footwear, as he'd offhandedly remarked that while his shoes would merely melt, he would not.

Kagome peered ahead through the rising steam, keeping an eye out for the cave entrance Sesshoumaru assured her was ahead somewhere. It was sweltering, making Kagome glad she was only wearing a light summer yukata, though errant strands of hair that had escaped from her messy bun were clinging to the nape of her neck.

Eventually after much trudging on Sesshoumaru's part they reached the lip of the cave where cooler air reached them. The heat was intense though at the entrance; Kagome supposed it must come from the forge inside of the sword smith they were visiting.

"Totosai," Sesshoumaru called into the cave, setting her down gently on her feet. Kagome winced at the clattering noise that came from within, but, seconds later, an old man emerged and peered at them both with his large, round eyes.

"Sesshoumaru," Totosai realised, blinking up at the taller demon for a few moments, he abruptly turned as if to run away down the mountain, Sesshoumaru's grip on the back of his haori the only thing preventing him.

"I need a sword," Sesshoumaru murmured, shaking the smith firmly before placing back on his feet.

Totosai blinked emphatically at Sesshoumaru. "You've already got two swords!" the smith protested adamantly, "And you've only got two arms! What are you going to do with this one, hold it in your mouth?"

"Ah!" Kagome squeaked as a giant cow with far too many eyes started trying to eat her hair. "No, quit it!"

"Not for me," Sesshoumaru confirmed, folding his arms to watch Kagome do battle with the herbivore. "For her."

Totosai dug around in his ear for a moment with one finger, watching Kagome attempt to avoid Momo's affections futilely. "She looks like she could do with one," he grunted.

"A tanto," Sesshoumaru clarified, "something she can hide within a kimono."

"Huh," Totosai muttered, slinking back into his cave only to emerge a few moments later with a set of menacing looking tongs. "Open up."

Pausing mid grapple, Kagome cast a curious look at Sesshoumaru and the old demon. "What are the pliers for?"

With a sharp practised manoeuvre, Totosai brandished the tongs and in a movement so agile Kagome missed it, he pulled a tooth from Sesshoumaru's mouth.

Due to her inattention, Kagome had forgotten to keep Momo at arm's length and – as a result – a lick that made her hair stand on end snapped her from her reverie.

"Noo!" she squealed futilely.

Totosai blinked owlishly as Kagome and Momo's battle continued. "You sure caught yourself a weird one," the old coot muttered, before stalking back off in the direction of his forge.

* * *

Nonplussed, Kagome slid the tanto from its prettily lacquered sheath, wrinkling her nose when the sunlight reflected off the sharp edge. She darted a glance at the watching sword smith and then at Sesshoumaru.

"This makes no sense," she informed the old man, "How did a tooth become a short sword?"

"Humans!" Totosai cried out exasperatedly, throwing his hands into the air, "You give them a beautiful sword with powers beyond comprehension and they sweat the small details."

"It's not a small detail," Kagome returned, frowning, "and what do you mean 'power beyond comprehension'? It's just a sword," she glanced at Sesshoumaru worriedly, "Right?"

Sesshoumaru crooked a brow as the miko adjusted her grip on the sword distrustfully; holding it between two fingers as if it might decide to bite her.

"It is imbued with my youki," Sesshoumaru explained, taking the sword from her perilous grip and sliding it back into its lacquered sheath. "Should you be forced to draw it, it will resonate, alerting me to your predicament."

"You gave me a sword that snitches to you?" Kagome asked amusedly.

"To keep you safe," he chastised, sliding the sword into the folds of her yukata.

The weight of the short sword settled heavily against her frantically beating heart and Kagome tamped down on the rising sense of vulnerability. She was no pushover. Now she had a sword and her bow. Practically invincible. She frowned slightly; she couldn't even believe her own bravado.

She was snapped from her self-doubt when Sesshoumaru calmly threw her over his shoulder again so they could make their way down the mountain. Waving bemusedly at Totosai and the demonic cow over Sesshoumaru's shoulder, Kagome settled in for the bumpy ride down the mountain.

"Your fear is good," Sesshoumaru spoke quietly, turning his head away as his ears burned red, "it makes you harder to surprise, more wary. Just don't panic." It almost sounded like a rote, like someone had spoken the words to him once upon a time.

Kagome smiled slightly, weaving her fingers through his silken hair. "Who told you that?"

"My father," Sesshoumaru admitted gruffly. There was something sad in his eyes that made her bite back her question.

"It's good advice," she hummed.

"Hn."

* * *

The dragon sat in his lair. Or what he now called a lair. In the old days his lair had been a cave high in the mountains. Now, however, he inhabited a suave shiro and had a hundred servants at his beck and call.

Some said he was becoming domesticated.

But he was merely blending in. Dragons were an old people, oldest of the clans, some said. And they survived by acclimatising to the world they lived in.

Yet, just because he changed with the times, did not mean that he liked it.

The dragon scowled, temper fraying once again as his mind drifted to the news from the West. It seemed that the human girl would be presented as mate-to-be of the heir to the west tomorrow.

A ring of smoke escaped his nostril, leaving no doubt as to how angry he was. His rage simmered beneath the surface.

The demons may have moved, as one, to find a humanoid body. He may have followed with the rest of them, may wear human skin a lot of the time. But he would never allow anyone to forget that, under the feeble-looking human skin was a monster wrapped in scales.

It was time that the West remembered; monsters and humans got on about as well as lions and gazelles.

* * *

Legs dangling off the polished walkway, Kagome peered up at the swaying cherry blossom trees that surrounded Nami's garden like sentinels. She's suffered through even more training with Aine and so she'd decided to indulge in a moment to decompress before she went to find Sesshoumaru.

Movement out of the corner of her vision made her tense, and she glanced at the approaching figure from the corner of her eyes. Dressed in red, blue and white and carrying a sword at his hip, the man was easily recognisable as one of Nami's many guards. The straw hat perched on his head was an unusual touch, but Kagome assumed he wanted to keep his face out of the sun.

"Can I help you?" Kagome asked, sitting up straighter and wondering whether Nami had sent him for her.

The guard tilted his chin to gaze at her from the shadow cast by his straw hat, his yellow eyes were curious and his skin tanned richly. "You're the human?" Something in his tone reeked of condescension.

She narrowed her eyes and stood abruptly, adopting her best closed-off expression. "Is that any kind of way to speak to Sesshoumaru-sama's intended?"

Those heavy eyebrows flew to his hairline and he backpedalled, waving his hands as if to diffuse her displeasure. "Sorry," he grunted, "that came out wrong. I'm no speaker. Mostly I end up insultin' people."

Kagome's lips quirked in a half-smile. "I'm Kagome, you?"

"Inuyasha," he bowed slightly, his long white ponytail falling over his broad shoulder.

"Are you a white dog demon like Nami-sama and Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked curiously, "Your colouring is similar."

He grinned, revealing a snatch of fang. "I'm a bit more of a mutt, but you've got the gist."

"Because you don't have the stripes?" she asked, remembering Aine's tutelage.

He touched his cheek with a long claw and shrugged. "Something like that." He frowned, tilting his head to one side, "I'll leave you to it. Nice to meet you, Kagome."

And with that the guard hurried away. Kagome blinked, a little bemused at his sudden departure, but then Nami stepped out onto the walkway and she thought she understood. The guard didn't want to be caught slacking by his lady.

Nami stiffened as she stepped into the sunlight, lifting her nose to the air curiously and inhaling.

"What is it?" Kagome asked curiously.

"I thought—" Nami pulled up short and shook her head, "Never mind, come. Tonight is the last night you will dine without scrutiny, little human."

"Thanks so much for the reminder," Kagome ground out through gritted teeth as she followed Nami's elegant back as she walked to the dining rooms.

* * *

"The dignitaries will arrive tomorrow morning," Sesshoumaru told Kagome, gazing up at the ceiling of their room, "but you will not be presented to them until the feast in the evening."

"I know," Kagome hummed, amused by his anxiety. It made her own a little more bearable.

Sesshoumaru sighed. "Remember that they do not get to approve of you, they are simply required to pay their respects to our match."

Kagome sat up in the bed and leaned over Sesshoumaru's torso, laughingly covering his mouth with her soft hand. Her hair slid over her shoulders, forming a curtain around the couple and tickling Sesshoumaru's cheek.

"I've been thoroughly prepared by Aine-san and your mother," Kagome informed him gently. "I'll be fine. We'll be fine. So, please, stop fretting." She smoothed her hand up to cup his cheek.

Sesshoumaru's frown relaxed slightly and he reached up to cup her cheek in return. "I don't fret," he rebuked.

Kagome grinned cheekily. "Sure. You just need to sit there and be your usual icy self."

One brow arched. "Hnn?"

"And try not to hurt any of them," Kagome added absently, leaning her forehead down onto his, "let me handle them."

"You have a plan?" Sesshoumaru inquired, mirth colouring his tone.

"I was thinking of emulating your mother," Kagome joked, smiling growing.

Sesshoumaru snorted. "I'm sure that would go down well."

* * *

A/N: It feels good to finish this chapter. Thanks for reading guys, if you have a moment I'd love it if you could drop me a review.


	26. Politics

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Tapping her blood red claws on the chabudai in impatience, Nami surveyed the assembled lords and ladies of her lands. Some looked as anxious as she felt, some held their disdain for the whole affair in check by a thread and others looked bored out of their skulls. Nami almost smiled at the thought; she could almost guarantee that this meeting would be anything other than banal. After all, it was not every day that her son, Sesshoumaru, introduced his intended to the gentry of the lands he would inherit.

The steady staccato beat of footsteps in the corridor made a hush settle over the crowded room and the guests all turned to stare at the door expectantly.

The door slid open. Nami inhaled; she could practically taste the tension on her tongue.

Sesshoumaru swept into the room, dismissed every visitor with a simple glance and quirked a brow at his mother. She smiled like a cat that had caught the canary.

Abruptly, he stepped to one side, revealing his little intended human decked out in all her finery. Face painted, junhitoe donned and hair pulled back and pinned with opulent decorations, Kagome could easily have passed for a demure princess. But this assessment could only have been reached if the observer neglected to catalogue her confident stare.

Regardless of the fact that she was stepping into a room full of predators, her gaze was strong and she met each pair of curious eyes with her own.

"My intended," Sesshoumaru introduced, "Higurashi Kagome."

Kagome inclined her head politely, eyes mirthful. The pair swept to the head of the table and took their seats on each side of Nami.

"Daughter," Nami acknowledged Kagome with a sly nod and, turning to Sesshoumaru, offered a wry, "son."

"Haha-ue-sama," they returned the acknowledgement in perfect unison.

Quietly, Nami wondered who would still be brave enough to rebuke her son when she had just publicly accepted the match. Then again, knowing those charged with monitoring her kingdom, she wouldn't be surprised if they found ways to challenge the match whilst still pandering to her.

"I notice you failed to mention a clan when you introduced your intended," Kenta an aging curmudgeon of a former samurai muttered. He squinted at the head of the table from his position at the end.

Sesshoumaru stared at a point on the ceiling disinterestedly. It was impossible that the washed-up warrior didn't know about Kagome's humanity, so he ignored the blatant baiting.

Kagome turned to smile beatifically at the old yokai. "I notice you failed to mention your name. And even I, as a clan-less human, know that such behaviour lacks manners," she hummed pleasantly, eyes burning with blue fire.

Kenta sputtered at the dry comeback, casting his narrowed gaze at Nami as if hoping for backup. All he found when he glanced at his lady, however, was a gleeful smile.

"His name is Kenta," a strongly amused voice provided, "and I don't know why you're the one going on about pedigree, Kenta-san. You're an ex-samurai. You got to where you are by killing the last lord. Blood's got nothing to do with it."

Kagome's brows rose slightly as the speaker leant forwards and winked at her. Apparently Kagura had forgotten to mention she'd be here. As always, the Wind Witch appeared completely self-assured as she sat to attention on her zabuton, her long earrings jingling when she inclined her head to her new lady.

"Thank you, Kagura-san," Kagome murmured warmly, ignoring Kenta who was by this time so flustered it looked as though steam should be billowing from his pointed ears.

The man sitting across from Kagura placed a consoling hand on Kenta's rounded shoulder before turning his assessing gaze onto Kagome.

"I am Mugen no Byakuya," he murmured, bowing his head briefly before once again meeting her gaze, "Pardon the question, but aren't humans a tame species?" he asked, tilting his head curiously, "How do you expect to rule over demons?"

"At Sesshoumaru-sama's side," Kagome smiled her best predator grin, revealing too many teeth. "And I am by no means tame."

"No?" the man pursed his lips.

"Just ask the Northern bird tribe," an elderly man muttered from beside Kagome, smiling into his teacup. He caught Kagome's gaze and amiably added, "Myoga, at your service, Kagome-sama."

"So you eradicated Abi-hime's clan?" Byakuya asked probingly, cutting through whatever pleasantries Kagome had been about to exchange with Myoga.

"With Sesshoumaru-sama's help," Kagome acknowledged, narrowing her eyes almost imperceptibly at her accuser.

"So it is true that you killed Abi-hime?" he pushed, interlocking his fingers and leaning forwards in anticipation.

Kagome smile didn't falter as she sweetly replied, "Her mistake was attempting to force herself upon Sesshoumaru-sama." Her eyes darkened, daring the forthright demon to venture more speculation.

A flamboyantly dressed man sat beside Sesshoumaru broke out into peals of laughter. "Oh, I like you," he hummed, beaming at Kagome. There were blue markings beneath his eyes and his long hair hung freely down to his shoulders. "I'm Jakotsu, I used to be human too until Nami-sama reanimated me."

"Keep your nose out of this, Jakotsu," Byakuya admonished, shooting a glare at the man.

Jakotsu actually poked his tongue out at the demon. The display caused the silent members of the meeting to begin grumbling restlessly.

"Desist, Jakotsu," Sesshoumaru rumbled, "you are behaving inappropriately."

Jakotsu snorted. "When am I ever appropriate?" he winked at Nami causing her smirk to grow. "It's why Nami-sama loves me."

Nami pulled her fan from her sleeve, snapping it open and masking her silent laugh.

Of the remaining two silent dignitaries, the female was next to speak. Her blood red eyes appeared bored and her dark hair was cut in a blunt fashion that ended abruptly at her chin.

"Kagome-sama," she began slowly, "I am Yura of the Hair," a small smile crept up on one corner of her mouth, "and I have a question, if I may?"

Kagome inclined her head regally.

"Do you believe that you are Sesshoumaru-sama's match?" she asked, "I have seen many females attempt to ensnare him, but none have succeeded. And they were all demonesses of considerable power and political clout."

"I think that I am Sesshoumaru-sama's match," Kagome replied sweetly, "After all, out of all those females who have attempted to catch his attention, how many are still alive?"

Jakotsu snorted. "She's still alive so she's obviously something special."

Yura nodded her head and returned her gaze to the table top, apparently no longer interested.

Nami turned her attention on the lone figure at the furthest end of the table who had yet to speak. "Do you have anything to add, Moryomaru?"

With a shock of messy silvery hair and a vivid green and blue marking over the left side of his face, the silent participant of the meeting projected a feeling of unease even when his head was downcast.

He glanced up at Nami's words. His flat black eyes unerringly seeking out Kagome. There was a moment of silence as the demon stared at the human.

"No," he eventually muttered, casting his gaze back to his knees.

* * *

Staring out at the moon as it hid behind Nami's hibiscus trees, Kagome kept her back straight and her expression neutral regardless of her exhaustion. The lords and ladies of Nami's kingdom were all still lurking and she couldn't afford to relax until they were back in Sesshoumaru's shiro and behind closed doors.

A breath across the back of her neck made her tense and the blade that whispered across her jugular confirmed her suspicions. She hadn't been alone.

"I should kill you now," Byakuya hummed nonchalantly from behind her, pressing the blade closer to her pulse, "not out of any personal vendetta, understand."

"Then why?" Kagome murmured, sliding a hand into her kimono subtly.

A dark chuckle whispered into the night. "Do you have any idea what you have done? You've already managed to cause the eradication of an entire clan. Your actions and the actions you inspire in Sesshoumaru-sama are making the West look suspicious. Already the North worries that we mean war."

Kagome smiled in the darkness. "Maybe Sesshoumaru was apathetic before my arrival, but from what Nami-sama has told me, he was already considered a wild card. Easily bored and easily angered."

"He has cut down entire armies because they were in his way," Byakuya reminisced.

Kagome pressed her blade backwards, ensuring that the demon felt it in his gut. "And I won't hesitate to cut you down if you would stand between Sesshoumaru and me."

The demon tensed behind her and Kagome stepped out of his grasp, calmly sheathing her tanto.

She offered him a wry smile. "And I know you wouldn't hesitate either, Byakuya-san, if you truly wanted me dead."

Byakuya returned her smile. "I would not hurt Sesshoumaru-sama in such a way."

Kagome glanced down at her blade and pulled a face. "He might hurt you though..."

As if she had conjured Sesshoumaru with her words, the demon appeared in a swirl of white silk, silver tresses and livid red eyes. Casually the demon lord caught Byakuya by his neck, smashing the surprised demon into the wall behind him and holding him off his feet.

In his surprise, Byakuya had dropped his sword and now clutched at the enraged demons sleeve with both hands as he attempted to breathe.

Kagome frowned at her sword and demanded, "Couldn't you have told him it was a false alarm?"

Sesshoumaru glanced back at her. "False alarm?" he asked, testing the words in his mouth as if confused.

"He wasn't going to hurt me," Kagome gestured at the demon who was turning blue in the face, "he was just making sure I knew what lengths he'd go to for you."

Sesshoumaru's gaze snapped back to Byakuya. "Is this true?"

"Sesshoumaru, he's turning blue, I don't think he can answer," Kagome interjected, tugging at his arm.

Arching a brow, Sesshoumaru relinquished his hold on Byakuya's throat and watched dispassionately as he slid to the ground. "Well?"

"It's as the lady said," Byakuya rasped, rubbing his throat ruefully. "But I have to admit she was more than prepared. You've chosen well, Sesshoumaru-sama."

The silver haired demon grunted in reply and Kagome elbowed him out of the way, offering a hand to help Byakuya up.

* * *

To truly enjoy the beauty of Nami's prized jasmine blossoms, the next morning the remaining dignitaries took their tea in the jasmine room with the shoji door pulled open to grant them an awe inspiring view of the sun dappled trees. A light summer breeze flirted with the beautiful blossoms, sending a few here and there twirling to the ground.

Pouring the complimentary jasmine tea into the assembled cups, Kagome refused to reveal that her legs had fallen asleep as she courteously passed a cup first to Nami. Nami took the cup with a gleeful smile, reminding Kagome that nothing got past the woman; she was already well aware of Kagome's predicament.

Gritting her teeth behind her smile, Kagome passed the next cup to Sesshoumaru who was doing his best to look aloof. But still he found time to squeeze her fingertips reassuringly as she passed the cup to him.

Smile a little more sincere, Kagome passed the next cup to the old curmudgeon Kenta. The old demon all but snatched the cup from her hands and she repressed the wince when one of his claws drew blood from the back of her hand. Her stoic behaviour was rewarded when his hasty snatch spilt some of the hot liquid down his arm. They glared at each other for a moment, his contempt was clearly writ on his face, but Kagome's vacuous smile somehow made her glare even more intimidating.

Dismissing him with a turn of her head – knowingly infuriating the wizened samurai – Kagome passed the next cup to old Myoga, who sat watching the entire exchange with a fond smile on his face. He took his tea with a grateful nod and a cheery smile which brightened Kagome's spirits again.

Next to receive his cup was Jakotsu who took the pretty tea with a jaunty wink. She could practically feel Kenta vibrating with indignity at the gesture, but merely smiled at the brash, bold young man.

Last to receive tea was Kagura who took the beverage with a grin and a roll of her eyes. Kagome knew quite well that Kagura deplored the ridiculous ceremonies as much as she did.

"Where has young Byakuya gotten to?" Kenta demanded impatiently, apparently he'd falsely assumed he had an ally in the other demon.

"After giving Sesshoumaru-sama and myself his blessing last night, Byakuya-san had to return to his home. He is a very busy man, as I'm sure you know, Kenta-sama," Kagome hummed, wondering if the old samurai released how obtuse he was being by insisting on calling Byakuya young. Byakuya was nearly five hundred years old.

"Yura-san and Moryomaru-san also retired to their homes," Nami interrupted placidly, "sending their best wishes for the match, of course."

Kagome inclined her head to Nami.

Harrumphing and folding his arms, Kenta glowered at Kagome. "I hope they did make it home, we've already seen what happens to others who oppose you. I heard there was nothing left of the Northern bird clan."

Narrowing her eyes, Kagome replied smartly, "Well, seeing as none of our esteemed guests attempted to mate Sesshoumaru against his will, I let them live."

Kenta's eyes bulged at her tone and he turned to Nami for some sign of support. The Lady of the Western lands arched a brow menacingly.

"Mind your tone, Kenta," she purred, her tone almost gleeful. "I will not tolerate disrespect."

Blanching slightly, the demon turned his watery eyes on Sesshoumaru. "My lord, will you continue to let your intended speak in this obnoxious manner?"

Sesshoumaru stopped contemplating the ceiling and pinned Kenta with a malevolent stare. "You imply that I am allowing my intended to control me," Sesshoumaru intoned coldly, "Do you think me weak?"

"No, my lord," Kenta answered rapidly, bowing his head.

"Do you think that my intended is so weak that I should speak for her? Thus, again, implying that I am weak for choosing her as my partner?"

"No, my lord," Kenta bowed further, his nose almost touching the table top.

Returning his attention to the ceiling, Sesshoumaru murmured, "Good. I didn't think you would be so obnoxious."

The vague threat behind those words had Kenta breaking out in a cold sweat, even as he straightened from his bow.

Kagome met his terrified stare with an impish smile. "More tea?" she inquired sweetly.

* * *

"Did you see the look on that old bastard's face?" Jakotsu hooted, quite probably startling the koi that swam in the pond beneath the bridge they stood on.

Kagura smirked at his antics. "I do believe he was actually casting around for backup," she hummed, "regardless of the fact that Kagome has already been approved of by Nami-sama."

Kagome smiled. "He _is_ quite old; maybe he just doesn't like change."

Jakotsu, who Kagome was fast becoming friends with, leant back against the wooden railing of the bridge. "Nope," he sang, "Kenta was once defeated by a human samurai, back before the formation of the Ningenkai and the Makai, he never got over it. He doesn't like any humans. Not even me."

"Because you're such a loveable, shy, retiring creature that people warm up to on sight," Kagura teased mercilessly.

Jakotsu poked his tongue out at her. "You warmed up to me pretty easily."

"Birds of a feather," the Wind Witch replied with a saucy smirk.

Kagome laughed and excused herself from the dynamic duo, wandering back in the direction of the shiro and wondering where Sesshoumaru had gone. Absently she scratched at the cut on her wrist that Kenta had given her earlier. It was beginning to sting now, irritating her more.

Glancing down at her hand, she frowned when she noticed that the skin around the tiny cut had turned green and coupled with her suddenly pale skin, Kagome tensed.

It appeared Kenta's animosity was more than just harmless bluster.

Alarmed by the assumed poisoning, Kagome attempted to hurry back to the shiro and to Sesshoumaru's side. Unfortunately, as if admitting that it might be poisoned had made it so, her legs would no longer work and she staggered to one side, falling against one of the hibiscus trees.

Suddenly traitorous fingers failed to grip the bark and Kagome slid down onto her knees. Feeling fell away, swallowing her in a blanket of numbness. Kagome felt back onto the grass, staring up at the bright blue sky as her breaths came in panicked gasps.

A twig snapped somewhere to her right and suddenly Kenta's face was obscuring her view of the sky.

"And this is why a human will never rule the West," he sneered, "You're too weak."

* * *

A/N: Aren't I evil? Leaving you with that cliff-hanger. I apologise! I hope you enjoyed the chapter nevertheless; please review.


	27. Comeuppance

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Kenta grit his teeth as he stared down at the little human sprawled out at his feet. Even though he had her at his mercy, even though she was half-dead, she was staring passively up at him as if he was hardly worth her attention.

"You don't think they'll notice?" Kagome asked, amusement clouding her voice even as her breaths became shallow. "You were hardly subtle about your opposition."

Narrowing his eyes at her assured tone, the older demon snapped his reply, "No one will notice because the poison I used is Sesshoumaru-sama's poison. Everyone will assume he accidentally nicked you."

Kagome laughed, though it appeared she struggled to do so. "And you think Sesshoumaru does anything on accident? Fool."

The dismissive tone coupled with her fearless, condescending stare made his temper snap and the old demon kicked the little human in her side, sending her rolling onto her front.

"Now," he growled, "stare at the dirt as you die."

Kagome chuckled, her outstretched hand grasping convulsively as the grass beside her head. "And I thought you were a samurai, a warrior. These underhanded methods are unbefitting of a true warrior. Coward."

Gripping his walking stick tightly, he lashed out again, his foot catching in her side once more. She rolled ending up where she'd started; on her back, staring at the sky. Only this time she had her tanto gripped in one hand, the blade glittering in the sunlight. Too weak to pull it from its sheath with her own strength, Kagome had deliberately baited Kenta into kicking her; the momentum allowing her to pull her blade free.

The older demon frowned at the blade in her hand. "Do you expect to stab a samurai, human? Truly you are the foolish one."

Kagome smiled beatifically up at the looming demon. "Says you," she muttered, out of witty comebacks as the sky above her swam.

A chill raced down Kenta's spine as an unnatural breeze whipped through the clearing. Claw tips rested gently along his neck and a chuckle washed over his cheek.

"Kenta," Nami murmured gently, "Naughty boy."

Sesshoumaru knelt at Kagome's side, touching her cheek with his fingertips. "Kagome," he murmured.

"Sesshoumaru," she whispered with a smile as consciousness slipped away.

With a low growl Sesshoumaru scooped her up into his arms, clasping her limp form to his chest. The only thing that kept him from spiralling into a rage was the faltering heartbeat he could hear in her delicate chest. Holding onto Kagome and thus holding onto his sanity, he turned his livid gaze on Kenta, trembling beneath Nami's claws.

"Haha-ue-sama," Sesshoumaru murmured, striding towards the boundary of the clearing, "might I trouble you to entertain Kenta until I return."

Nami's smirk grew wider and she pressed herself against Kenta's stooped back, her claws leaving little gouges in his skin as she tapped at his jugular.

"Oh, I think I can be _very_ entertaining," she hummed, her fangs glinting in the sunlight.

* * *

Depositing Kagome gently on one of his mother's guest futons, Sesshoumaru growled and snapped at a terrified maidservant until she ran off in fear. He was attempting to communicate his need for a physician for Kagome but his anger would not let him use words, all he had were primitive sounds of anguish and anger.

Kagome was dying.

The shoji doors slid open, startling Sesshoumaru into lunging forwards over Kagome, fangs bared and eyes flashing red and deadly. Unperturbed by the display of possessive animosity, Myoga stepped into the room.

"I heard the Lady Kagome had been poisoned," Myoga murmured, shuffling to her bedside and kneeling down beside her. "I thought I could offer my services."

Sesshoumaru nodded tersely and the old man closed his eyes. A swell of youki heralded the change and moments later Myoga had shrunk into his flea form. The little flea hopped onto Kagome's neck and drew on her blood.

A moment later he pulled back and spat out what he had ingested. Glancing up at Sesshoumaru he spoke in his suddenly squeaky voice, "It is your poison, my lord."

Sesshoumaru's gaze narrowed as he grasped Kagome's injured hand. "But she did not suffer these injuries at my claw," he grumbled, "Leave us, Myoga."

Reverting back to his humanoid shape, Myoga sketched a bow and quickly vacated the room.

Narrowing his eyes at the possible consequences of his next actions, Sesshoumaru brought her wrist to his mouth, licking the wound until it closed. His saliva held the antidote to his poison but, given the length of time she'd been exposed to the toxin he'd have to make more incisions and seal them with his saliva.

Pressing a claw at her wrist, he winced as he cut into the flesh. Blood welled up and he lapped it away, tasting his own poison as he carefully sealed the wound with his saliva. Over and again, he made small incisions and sealed them, steadily introducing more of his saliva until her breathing evened out and her complexion lost its ghostly pallor.

Sitting back on his heels, Sesshoumaru let out a breath of relief that turned to a snarl when the door opened once more.

Jakotsu leant casually against the doorframe, apparently unperturbed by the half-feral demon growling at him.

"She okay?" the flamboyant man was sombre for once.

Sesshoumaru offered a curt nod, not taking his eyes from Kagome's unconscious figure.

"I'll watch her if you want to go and deal with Kenta," Jakotsu offered. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the man and Jakotsu spread his arms as if to reveal that he wasn't a threat. "I thought you'd want to go and deal with him before Kagura gets there; she was spitting at the mouth."

Sesshoumaru stood in a quick fluid movement that Jakotsu couldn't follow and had the shorter man pinned to the wall in a moment. "If anything happens to her whilst I am gone I will hold you personally responsible."

With that threat hanging in the air he disappeared, leaving a breathless Jakotsu to slump onto the floor.

He glanced at the slumbering woman. "You really are remarkable," he told her, laughingly.

* * *

Stepping into the sunshine, Sesshoumaru ignored the hush that fell over the clearing. Kagura stopped attempting to claw Kenta's face off, Nami stopped laughing and Myoga let go of the livid Wind Witch, obviously relieved.

Glancing down at the samurai, Sesshoumaru dispassionately noted his mother's handiwork. She'd severed the tendons in both legs, making it impossible for him to escape. He recognised his mother's handiwork because it was routine for her. She'd cut off her prey's means of escape and then toy with them until they died... or until she got bored.

"You attempted to kill my intended," Sesshoumaru murmured, his voice carrying clearly regardless of his quietness. "Do you deny it?"

Kenta peered up at his looming lord with watery eyes. "My lord, I beg of you, I was only attempting to stop you from making a grave error."

"You are still questioning my judgement," Sesshoumaru said, blinking dispassionately down at the man. "You think you know better than me?"

Kenta shook his head rapidly. "My lord, please –"

But that was as far as he got with his grovelling because Sesshoumaru smiled. It was not the softer smile that he sometimes shared with Kagome. No. This smile was full of malevolence and the hunger for blood.

Kenta opened his mouth again, likely to begin babbling in an attempt to save his life, but Sesshoumaru's light whip was faster.

Nami watched the head roll across her grass with dispassionate eyes. "Well, personally, I would have played with him a little more."

Sesshoumaru shot her a look and stalked back towards the shiro. "I am returning to my intended," he snapped.

Nami rolled her eyes at her son and sedately moved towards the shiro, Myoga following in her wake. Kagura lingered, staring down at what used to be Kenta.

"When we die, we're all the same," she muttered, kicking at the earth beside his head. "Dirt. In the end we're all dirt."

* * *

Blinking dazedly, Kagome wrinkled her nose at the tickling sensation and attempted to scoot away. It was this attempt at movement that made her aware of all the aches and pains her poor body suffered from and she hurtled into wakefulness.

The tickling sensation turned out to be a strand of Sesshoumaru's hair brushing her cheek. The demon was sat behind her, her head in his lap, and he leaned over her so that he could play with her fingers.

She smiled up at him. "Hi."

He met her gaze, relief and anger swirling in those golden eyes. "Hello."

"I feel like I've been run over by a car," she mumbled.

"You were poisoned," he answered softly, stroking her cheek with the backs of his fingers.

"Kenta," she growled.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "He will never bother you again," he vowed solemnly. Kagome frowned at the glimpse of guilt in his golden gaze and tugged on a strand of his hair lightly.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Sesshoumaru's brow wrinkled in confusion. "I was not the one who nearly died."

Kagome winced at the implication. She'd been ignoring the fact that she'd been so close to death but now it had become inescapable. The words hung in the air.

Apparently realising that he had slipped up, Sesshoumaru pressed his fingertips to her temples, smoothing out the tense lines of her forehead.

"I would never let you die, Kagome," he vowed.

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "I don't think you can control when I die, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru arched a brow. "Is that a challenge?"

The superior tone and miffed look brought a giggle tumbling from Kagome's lips. "I can imagine you arguing with death for me," she confessed laughingly.

"I will never let such a thing happen again."

Kagome softened at the resolute expression carved into his face. "Don't feel bad about what happened. You got to me in time."

"I was almost too late," he growled, his voice lashing out in the silence of the room. But Kagome was not fooled by his anger; she saw the hurt in his gaze.

"But you weren't," she pointed out, winding a strand of his hair around a finger. "And we're still here, together."

Chin tilting upwards in an almost regal gesture, Sesshoumaru's expression became certain and assured. A moment passed when he appeared to gather his resolve and then he met her gaze once more. "Kagome, I wish to complete the next step of our mating."

Regardless of her pallor Kagome still managed to blush at his words. What exactly did he want?

"Um... I'm not exactly..." she trailed off, mortification stealing her voice. "I don't think I could do _that_ now... I mean I'm kind of achy and all..."

Sesshoumaru's brows flew to his hairline and a genuine smirk broke out across his face. "_That_?" he asked, inflecting seductively.

Kagome's face heated further and she covered her eyes with her arm. "Stop teasing me!"

A short chuckle escaped his mouth and he carefully pulled her arm away from her eyes so that he could meet her gaze once again.

"I was referring to the mating mark," he rumbled, amusement still colouring his tone.

"Oh," Kagome mumbled, dropping her gaze to the piece of his hair she was playing with as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. "What's that?"

Running his fingers along the column of her neck, he drew to a stop at the juncture between her neck and shoulder and traced a teasing pattern there with his claw tip. "I would bite you here, taking your blood into my body. In return you would drink from my neck at the same point, taking my blood into your body. It is one of the many steps to becoming one." He told her softly before his voice took on its previous teasing tone, "A step we must take before _that_."

Kagome tugged on his hair in reprimand. "Sounds... gory."

Sesshoumaru smirked, revealing a fang or two. "It will connect us on many new levels. You will also experience certain side effects such as quicker healing and sharper senses."

It was Kagome's turn to arch an eyebrow. "I'll be Super Kagome?" she asked wryly. Taking his dry smile for confirmation, she preceded, "What about you? What do you get out of it?"

With a huff, Sesshoumaru manhandled Kagome until she was straddling his lap, her head resting on her shoulder. "I get a little closer to you."

Pressing a kiss to the side of his neck, Kagome slowly bared her neck to Sesshoumaru. A gesture that Nami and Aine had told her never to make in front of a predator.

A low purring-growl echoed through the room.

His fangs trailed teasingly against her neck, tracing a lazy pattern. The feel of those sharp weapons against her fragile skin should have sent her running; instead it made her slump in his hold, completely relaxed. As if sensing this, with all the precision of a beast and all the tenderness of a lover, he struck, fangs sinking into her flesh.

Kagome had expected it to feel excruciating, but instead after the initial jolt, numbness spread from the bite making her feel strangely disconnected from her body. The soft pulls as he drank made her feel a little sleepy but he soon pulled away, licking the wound closed.

"Your turn," he whispered, his voice suspiciously husky.

It took a lot of effort to support her drooping head, but she eventually caught sight of the small incision Sesshoumaru had made in the side of his neck. Leaning in tentatively, she pressed her lips to the wound, suppressing the flinch of revulsion at the thought of drinking blood.

Yet, at the first taste of his blood on her tongue, the revulsion was replaced by intrigue. Sesshoumaru tasted like addiction. Swallowing his blood turned out to be rather pleasant, each pull spreading its warming fingers through her body as if she'd taken a swallow of whisky.

Eventually she pulled away and watched Sesshoumaru's skin fuse back together leaving behind only a slim red mark where the cut had been. Licking her lips of his blood, she met his broody stare and smiled.

"I feel warm all over," she admitted.

"My blood should help you get over the poisoning more quickly," Sesshoumaru explained, stroking her hair back from her face. "And you should find a distinct immunity to poison after this."

She grinned lethargically and leant back into his embrace, pressing a passing kiss onto his jaw. It was just like Sesshoumaru to jump straight into the practicalities whilst she was still basking in this newfound closeness to him. "I can feel your heart beat," she drowsily confessed, tangling her fingers in his hair as she huddled closer.

"I can hear yours," he replied softly, stroking her back and soothing her into sleep.

* * *

"My lady."

Nami glanced up at the sound of Myoga's voice, tilting her head to one side curiously when she found him bowing in her doorway.

"Rise, old friend," she murmured.

Myoga shuffled into the room, claiming a seat at Nami's side. He sank down gratefully and sighed long and low as if regretting what he was doing.

"Earlier, I aided your son when his intended was poisoned. I tasted her blood," he sighed and dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief.

Nami's eyes narrowed slightly. "Oh, yes?"

"Underneath the taste of poison, my lady was something else. I haven't tasted blood like hers in a long time."

"Pray tell," Nami murmured, curiosity piqued. "What did you taste?"

"Overwhelming purity, my lady," Myoga confessed in a small voice, "The Lady Kagome is a miko."

* * *

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you could find a minute to leave me a review, I'd really appreciate it.


	28. Dead of Night

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

A/N: It's been a while, so, for those who need a recap, last time we met, Myoga had just informed Nami-sama of Kagome's miko-ness. How cruel of me to leave you with that little cliffhanger for so long. So, without further ado, please enjoy!

* * *

Sliding open the door to their room, Kagome stepped onto the wooden walkway beyond it and into the sunshine. The warmth of the morning made it slightly easier to venture from her nest of blankets and she stretched languidly before setting off to find Sesshoumaru.

Eventually, she stumbled across the demon in Rin's flower field. He sat cross-legged amongst the blossoms, watching the little ghost flit and float through the blooms. The scene was impossible to resist and she started forward, intending to join them, but tripped over the hem of her sleeping yukata and tumbled from the wooden floor.

Bracing for impact, she as pleasantly surprised to find that instead of hitting the unforgiving earth, she'd fallen into Sesshoumaru's arms. She grinned up at him, giggling when he arched a brow at her antics.

"I thought I was Super Kagome now," she complained cheerfully, "but I still fell over my own feet."

Sesshoumaru gave a little snort of amused derision. "Your senses will become heightened only when you feel you are in danger; adrenaline should trigger it."

Kagome pouted half-heartedly and Sesshoumaru pressed a kiss to her nose. "So I don't get to wear a cape, then?"

Adorably confused, he glanced down at her as he set her onto her feet. "Why would you want to wear a cape?"

"To do daring deeds?" Kagome replied sweetly, intentionally being ambiguous purely because she enjoyed his perplexed expression. "I always quite fancied being a caped crusader."

He pressed a hand to her forehead worriedly. "Are you feeling alright?"

Laughing delightedly, she pulled his hand away from her forehead and dropped a kiss onto his palm. "I'm feeling really good," she confessed.

He pressed his hand to her cheek and kissed the top of her head. "Strange human," he murmured affectionately. Well, Kagome could detect the affection but she doubted that an untrained ear would be able to detect anything other than a wry intonation.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," a voice called out and the couple turned to find Bankotsu approaching, his braid swaying between his shoulder blades. "Nami-sama would see you."

* * *

Bankotsu opened the door for the couple as they walked into Nami's sitting room. The lady was resplendent in her lilac kimono, sipping tea from her cup.

"Sit," she ordered placidly, gesturing to the two zabuton opposite her.

Kagome shot Sesshoumaru a look and the demon frowned under the weight of her stare. He knew what Kagome sensed; the tension in the room was palpable. Regardless of the fact that, in the past few days, they'd spent time drinking tea in the company of possible murderers, this encounter was more nerve-wracking.

"Myoga came to see me last night," Nami began, calmly pouring tea for both of her guests. Kagome accepted the cup curiously and Sesshoumaru ignored his entirely, staring at his mother intently. "He told me something intriguing. When he tasted the little human's blood, he found something... positively shocking."

Sesshoumaru straightened, his hands forming fists on his knees and Kagome glanced at him in alarm. His shoulders were tense, his jaw locked, his eyes narrowed and a low growl vibrated in his chest.

"What?" Kagome glanced between mother and son nervously.

"He tasted miko blood," Nami revealed, pinning Kagome with a probing look. "Seems you haven't been completely honest with me, little human."

In a flash, Sesshoumaru was between Nami and Kagome snarling warningly at his mother. His aggressive behaviour earned him a wry eyebrow arch from his mother and she met his red-eyed gaze calmly.

"Such belligerence," she commented, eyes sweeping over the subtle bite mark on Kagome's neck, "I see; you've completed the next stage in the mating ritual."

Tugging on Sesshoumaru's sleeve, Kagome attempted to get him to lose his hostile posture. The male sat back a little, no longer baring his fangs at his mother, but refused to allow Kagome to move from behind him.

Nami stood in a fluid swish of silk and wandered to the open door which revealed a beautiful snapshot of her gardens. Staring out at the sublime beauty, she remarked, "Of course, I was already very aware of Kagome's heritage."

This snapped Sesshoumaru from his protective posture and actually caused him to rub his temples wearily. "Haha-ue-sama?"

"Bankotsu-chan is a very loyal assassin," she remarked, "and Kagome's miko energy was all over her home in the ningenkai. He told me all that he knew."

"So you knew all along that I was a miko?" Kagome asked, wondering wryly why this surprised her. Nami always seemed to be two steps ahead.

"Indeed," Nami murmured, shooting Kagome an amused glance over her shoulder. "What intrigues me, however, is where your power went?"

"The seal that was inflicted on me," Sesshoumaru expounded, brushing his thumb over the side of Kagome's neck, "Kagome transferred it to herself. She has only a limited access to her power."

Nami whirled around, eyes wide. "She transferred it to herself?"

"Yes."

"That is impossible... unless," Nami's eyes narrowed contemplatively and she addressed Kagome, "Did you receive any formal training?"

"No, none."

Blank faced, Nami moved back into the room and sank back onto her zabuton, taking a comforting sip of her tea. Visibly, the Lady of the Western lands calmed herself and, placing her tea back on the table, she addressed her son, "A trained miko I could abide by, but an untrained one? Those are the dangerous ones." She shook her head, unable to hide her amused smirk as her shrewd gaze flickered over Kagome. "Untrained mikos can do anything they set their hearts to; because no one ever told them it was impossible."

Kagome frowned at Nami. "What does that mean?"

Nami grinned impishly. "It means that you, my dear, are going to be full of surprises."

Kagome swapped a worried look with a stunned Sesshoumaru whilst Nami took another contemplative sip of her tea. "Of course, now that Myoga knows, it's only a matter of time before the word spreads to the surrounding kingdoms; he is a bit of a gossip." She smiled wryly. "Especially after a few cups of _sake_."

"Will it cause problems?" Kagome asked tremulously.

"It will certainly cause a stir," Nami murmured, "having a miko in the family will mean pups with an immunity to purification. Those on our borders will worry over the potential increase in power your blood will bring." She winked at Kagome. "They will be so disappointed; they were looking forward to your human blood diluting our power. But then, the West has long been regarded as one of the strongest sectors of the makai. The perceived increase in power shouldn't matter..."

"Except to those with grudges against miko," Sesshoumaru commented soberly.

"We might have to prepare for another Kenta," Nami concluded with a certain amount of glee.

"Could you try not to sound so happy about it?" Kagome ground out from between gritted teeth.

Nami shot her a sparkling smile. "But, my dear, until you came along everything was so dull! Now that you're here I'm spoilt for entertainment."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Glad to see the possibility of my death is entertaining to you."

* * *

Asuka ducked the table his lord sent flying his way, watching at it punched a hole through the shoji screen and flew into the garden. Light flooded in through the gap, illuminating the incredibly incensed dragon that he served.

"My lord?" Asuka ventured calmly. "Is something the matter?"

The dragon turned on him, smoke drifting from one nostril, green eyes blazing. "Not only is the son of the Western lands engaged to a human. He is engaged to a human _miko_." The last word was snarled, dripping poison.

Asuka quirked an elegant brow. "A miko?" he parroted, tilting his head to one side, his dark purple braid swinging slightly. "This... displeases you?"

This time, the slight demon was forced to evade a teapot as it whizzed past his pointy ear.

The dragon visibly attempted to reign himself in, smoothing down his kimono. "I wouldn't say displeased, I'd say _livid_."

Asuka nodded sagely. "Of course, my lord."

"We leave for the West tomorrow," the dragon declared hotly, "it's time to visit an old friend."

* * *

When Jakotsu fell down face first on the tatami and started to snore, Sesshoumaru decided it was a good time to call it a night. The flamboyant man had accepted Kagome's miko abilities with a casual air and procured some good _sake_ to celebrate Kagome's recovery from the poison. Kagura had joined them, bringing more _sake _with her.

The night had been pleasant but now, considering that Kagome was attempting to put little braids into his hair, he thought it might be time to leave.

Kagura cackled as he swung a flailing Kagome onto his shoulder and he shot her a glare as he vacated the room.

"Don't worry," Kagura snorted, "I'll look after the lightweight." She nudged Jakotsu with her toe to illustrate her point.

Giggling drunkenly, Kagome threaded her fingers through Sesshoumaru's silky hair and tugged. The reprimanding slap on her bottom made her squeak in outrage before she dissolved back into giggles.

Smirking good-naturedly, Sesshoumaru continued back to his shiro, walking casually with Kagome slung over his shoulder. The servants he encountered along the way barely batted an eyelash at his behaviour; they'd seen him carrying Kagome around like this before.

"I liked Jakotsu's _sake_," she sang.

"A little too much," Sesshoumaru rejoined.

Kagome giggled again. "You're so funny, Sesshoumaru!"

Suppressing the urge to snort at the absurdity of the statement, Sesshoumaru replied blandly, "You are the only one brave enough to think so."

Kicking her legs happily, Kagome chortled. "Because Sesshoumaru is a big bad wolf and everyone is afraid. Except me!"

"I am not a wolf," he reminded her dryly, tapping her bottom once more in reprimand. As if his regal person could ever be mistaken for a mangy wolf.

The little miko squealed in girlish outrage, the squeal transforming into a shriek as Sesshoumaru took to the skies, buffeted by a cloud of youki.

"It's pretty," she cooed, stretching over his shoulder to attempt to touch the cloud. Sesshoumaru tightened his hold on the squirming miko's waist so that she didn't fall to her death. It seemed that in her inebriated state she cared very little about her personal safety and only about 'touching the pretty' as she gleefully put it.

"Stop attempting to escape," he growled against her hipbone, the order reverberating through the squirming miko, sending her into convulsive giggles.

Landing softly on the wooden floors of his own shiro, Sesshoumaru quickly paced into his rooms and deposited his charge onto the futon. Kagome bounced and giggled, rolling onto her back and frowning up at the demon who loomed over her.

"Stop moving!" she ordered.

A perfectly stationary Sesshoumaru arched a brow. "You will be displeased with yourself when you wake."

"Silly Sesshoumaru," she waved a dismissive hand at him, "I'm not asleep!"

He rolled his eyes, confident that her inebriated state would prevent her from remembering the uncharacteristic gesture and climbed onto the futon. Crawling over her, he manoeuvred them into a comfortable position and pulled her into his chest.

"I want a bath before bed!" she chirped.

"No," he answered shortly, stroking her hair in a soothing manner. A drunken Kagome in a hot spring spelled disaster for his restraint and she may drown whilst attempting to swim or something equally as absurd.

"You're mea—" she paused to yawn rather loudly, her eyelids drooping, "I forgot what I was gonna say."

Kissing the back of her head, Sesshoumaru softly replied. "It's okay, go to sleep, little one."

Deciding that his voice really did sound good enough to eat, Kagome did as he advised and slid into a deep sleep, her own personal guard dog curled around her.

* * *

Checking Jakotsu's pulse to make sure he was still alive, Kagura calmly covered the snoring man with his own outer haori. She could have dragged him to his own rooms, but she honestly couldn't be bothered to engage so much effort in the act.

"Kenta failed," a voice spoke from the darkness causing Kagura to tense and check to make sure Jakotsu truly was unconscious before she answered.

"Did you really expect him to succeed?" Kagura scoffed, "he is an imbecile."

"But a useful smokescreen." Those red eyes glinted from the darkness and Kagura looked away, unwilling to keep eye contact.

"I recently visited the site of Abi-hime's death," the shadowy figure continued leisurely, "I sensed your youki. Did you act against my plans, Kagura-chan?" The last was said in a sing-song voice and Kagura fought to repress the shudder.

"The bitch tried to kill me," she answered, "it was simple retribution."

"I hope you're telling me the truth, Kagura-chan," he returned, "or we both know what might happen..."

He left the sentence hanging and Kagura felt a little more hate fester in her belly. This man was pure evil, even for a demon.

"I know," she answered shortly, through gritted teeth.

"Dragons are coming," he added, "they may even do your job for you. But if they don't..."

Kagura closed her eyes and sighed. "I will kill Kagome."

* * *

A/N: Would you look at what I did there! Sorry it's been so long since I updated; real life problems caught me in their web. I hope you enjoyed this chapter regardless and please leave a review!


	29. Static

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome groaned, rolled over and threw a hand over her eyes, batting ineffectually at the tickling sensation on her shoulder blade.

"Kagome," a deep voice rumbled in her ear and Kagome smacked the owner of the really loud painfully gravelly voice in the mouth.

"Shhh!" she cautioned.

The lips beneath her hand twitched as if fighting a smile and she pinched them between her index finger and thumb in retaliation – her pain was not funny. Those tricky lips escaped her fingers and he spoke again, this time much in much quieter dulcet tones that she approved of.

"Drink this," he murmured, and she felt the lip of a cup press against her lips. Trusting the voice because if she argued with it, she feared he'd start talking and make her head split in two, Kagome sipped the warm bitter tasting stuff until he took the cup away. "You should feel better soon," he soothed.

The voice was right; the pounding in her head faded until it was all but a distant memory and the light no longer felt like it was trying to pierce through her eyelids and stab at her brain through her eyes.

Squinting, Kagome locked Sesshoumaru within her sights – silently praising him for keeping a straight face in a situation which must have been rather comical – and whispered, "No more of Jakotsu's _sake_, ever."

"Wise decision," he commended softly.

"You didn't get drunk," she accused waspishly.

"It takes a lot for me to get drunk," Sesshoumaru explained, a slight smirk playing at his lips.

Kagome swatted at his smug face, unsurprised when he dodged her flailing hand. "What was that hangover remedy you gave me?" she asked, pulling herself into a sitting position. "It worked wonders."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "It is a concoction of my mother's; she has been known to over-indulge from time to time."

Kagome shuddered; she really never wanted to see a drunken Nami, just the thought was terrifying. "You could make a fortune selling that in the ningenkai."

Unexpected warmth bloomed in Sesshoumaru's stomach when Kagome didn't refer to the ningenkai as home and Sesshoumaru ran a hand through her hair indulgently, "Humans have always been obsessed with wealth. Demons are more of a bartering people, we do not use coin. The only race of demons who are obsessed with gold are dragons."

"Dragons?" Kagome parroted with a small smile.

"Dragons are notoriously obsessed with their wealth. Inu Yokai are possessive of their pack, their mate, their territory," Sesshoumaru expounded, somewhat enjoying the mini species lesson as he stroked Kagome's hair. "But a dragon's possessive instinct is only triggered when their treasure is threatened. Most live in shiros much like this one but they all maintain a den in the mountains where they hide their treasure."

"Why are they so obsessed with treasure?" Kagome queried softly.

Sesshoumaru shot her a sidelong look and debated telling her for a moment before he spoke. "Before the formation of the makai, they used to horde it to attract greedy humans. Now, though, they simply enjoy how shiny it is."

Kagome barked out a startled laugh. "Sounds kinda odd."

"They are an odd breed," Sesshoumaru conceded, "even in demonic circles. But, then, Inu Yokai are considered odd due to their devotion to their mates."

Kagome's cheeks heated a little and she tilted her head to one side. "How so?"

Sesshoumaru felt his ears heat up and glanced up at the ceiling. "We do not take more than one mate. Indeed, after we mate we have no concubines."

Deciding not to tell him how cute this made him, Kagome rose onto her knees and pressed a kiss to the underside of his chin. "Come on," she said, grinning, "let's get something to eat, I'm hungry."

Sesshoumaru followed his little miko from their chambers, silently reeling over the kiss she'd pressed to his chin. In doing so, she'd marked him with her scent, something that appealed to him on an instinctual level.

Kagome glanced at him over her shoulder. "You okay?"

Eyes softening, Sesshoumaru reached for the little human and, cupping her cheek, pressed a kiss to her chin and very precisely nuzzled the mark he'd left on her throat. When he pulled away, he was pleased to note her flushed cheeks and wide eyes.

"I'm fine."

* * *

Sesshoumaru drew back the door to his mother's room, eliciting a hiss from Jaktosu who was slumped over the table, face down. Kagome suppressed a giggle.

"Rough night?" she teased, sounding remarkably smug for someone who'd been in the same position not to long ago.

The flamboyant man growled at her without actually looking at her. "It wouldn't have been so bad if someone hadn't left me to sleep on the floor," he spat and then gripped his head as if talking had unsettled him.

Nami's grin practically split her face as she cradled her tea and watched Jakotsu like he was an interesting insect. Kagura crooked a brow at the dramatic man.

"I wasn't about to carry you," she snorted, "and it's hardly my fault that you passed out."

"You could've used your wind!" Jakotsu whined.

Kagura bared her fangs. "I could have diced you into easily moveable pieces, too."

Kagome took her seat next to Kagura and leaned in to whisper to Sesshoumaru. "If Jakotsu is hung over, why hasn't Nami given him some of her medicine?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "She's sadistic."

Glancing at Nami, who was practically glowing with glee, Kagome could only agree with Sesshoumaru's waspish assessment.

"Medicine?" Jakotsu's head snapped up and he gripped it as if afraid it would wobble off his neck. "You have medicine?"

Nami covered her mouth with her sleeve, eyes alight with glee. "I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific, Jakotsu-chan."

Jakotsu's eyes widened and he sputtered, "B-but you love me! Why are you torturing me?"

"It's a sign of her affection," Kagome cheerfully announced at the same time Sesshoumaru muttered, "Because she can."

"Both are true," Nami said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Give me the medicine!" Jakotsu whined.

"Oh dear," Nami sighed, leaning back and tapping her chin with one elegant finger, "I don't think there was enough grovelling in that, Jakotsu-chan."

Kagome stifled a laugh and Jakotsu tossed her a sidelong look, "You're the one mating into her family," he reminded her.

* * *

Sitting cross-legged in the meadow with Rin, the two females diligently wove a crown for Kagome, since the little ghost insisted that Kagome was a princess now. Rin had a brilliant eye for the best flowers and floated casually around the meadow, fetching and carrying for Kagome. The miko was actually getting used to Rin's weird way of travelling.

"Someone's coming," Rin whispered, and Kagome watched the little ghost fade away; Rin didn't like many. Glancing up, Kagome's eyebrows arched when the soldier she had met, Inuyasha, rounded the corner of the shiro.

Peering at her from under the shade of his straw hat, he grinned, revealing a flash of fang. "Heard you had a run in with the old samurai," he grunted.

Kagome's lips quirked. "Something like that."

"But you're in one piece," he noted, sounding impressed, "you're pretty tough, for a human."

"Thanks," Kagome grinned, holding up her crown of blossoms, "want me to decorate your hat?"

"Keh," Inuyasha grunted, wrinkling his nose, "No girly stuff for me."

"Why are you here, anyway?" Kagome asked, tilting her head to one side. "Worried about me?"

He rolled his eyes as she batted her lashes. "Something like that," he muttered, narrowing his eyes as his gaze zeroed in on her neck. "You've been marked?" he blurted out.

Kagome's hand flew to the mark instinctively. "Ah, yes," she blushed a little. "Not that it's any of your business!"

Inuyasha held up his hands, looking thoroughly abashed. "Sorry; I just blurt stuff out sometimes," he shrugged helplessly.

Kagome smiled again. "It's fine."

"Anyway, I gotta go," he announced, tipping his hat respectfully, "Good luck."

Kagome watched the demon hurry away, a bemused look on her face and turned to Rin, who was already on the hunt for more blossoms.

"Strange guy," she murmured, shrugging to herself.

"Ah! Un!" Rin called happily and Kagome glanced up from her handiwork to find the two headed dragon lumbering across the field towards them.

"Hey!" Kagome cheered, climbing to her feet to meet the exuberant dragon. Un wrapped his scaly neck around her shoulders, pulling her in so that Ah could nose her hair tenderly. "Why are you two here?" Kagome asked happily, scratching under Ah's chin.

"They were eager to see you," Sesshoumaru coolly intoned as he landed gently in the meadow, his youki cloud dissipating. "And ran away on their own."

"Aw!" Kagome cooed, butting foreheads gently with Un and scratching Ah's ears, "it's good to see you guys too!" Resting her chin atop Ah's head, she arched an eyebrow at Sesshoumaru, "Are you okay?"

"I am concerned," he admitted softly, glancing away at the horizon.

Kagome tilted her head to one side. "You are?"

Sesshoumaru looked away, folding his hands into the sleeves of his kimono.

Nudging Un with her hip, Kagome grinned in triumph as the dragon got the message, reaching out and grabbing hold of his master by his sleeve and pulling him into the hug. Safely ensconced in Ah-Un's embrace, Sesshoumaru peered down at Kagome who glowed with satisfaction.

"So," she began again, running a finger along the collar of his haori. "What's wrong?"

"I can't help but feel that this is the calm before the storm," Sesshoumaru admitted, "that soon news of you being a miko will reach our enemies and we will be under siege again."

With a deep sigh, Kagome laid her head on his chest, pressing her cheek against his heart as she wrapped her arms around him. "We'll face it, together."

"You nearly died!" he half-shouted, pushing away from her hug and extricating himself from Ah-Un. He paced away a few feet and rounded on her, expression closed. "This time, you might not be so lucky."

A crease appeared between Kagome's eyebrows as she frowned at him, she folded her arms. "So?"

The facade fell away, red leaking into his eyes as he snatched her up by her shoulders, holding her up so her feet didn't even touch the ground. "So?" he repeated, a low treble growl reverberating through them. "I will not lose you!"

Kagome reached out; regardless of the uncomfortable hold he had on her and touched the place on his neck where she'd marked him. Feather-light, she brushed her fingers over the faint mark and Sesshoumaru trembled, dropping her back onto her feet.

"I'm human," she murmured, still stroking the mark as his eyelids slid to half-mast. "I will always be delicate, easier to kill and slower to react. But we both know this isn't what upsets you. You are worried about me, not because I am weak, but because of what I mean to you."

Sesshoumaru breathed in deeply through his nose. "Kagome—"

"Shh!" she cautioned, stepping closer, but continuing to stroke her mark, "It's the same for me. I know how strong you are, but I still panic when I can't see you and know you're okay. It would be the same if I was a demoness. You would still worry about me if you locked me away where no one could find me, or if you sent me back to the ningenkai or even if you assigned a hundred guards to watch me."

He exhaled shakily, dropping his cheek on top of her head and holding her close. "I am not used to feeling like this. I am not used to _feeling_ at all."

Kagome laughed a little shakily. "If it helps, I'm not used to feeling like this either."

Ah and Un, apparently deciding that they had been ignored long enough, both got in on the hug. Kagome snorted a laugh, "I think Ah and Un are worried too."

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow at her absurd statement and sniffed curiously as a scent hit him.

"Was someone else here before me?" Sesshoumaru asked, still sniffing curiously.

"Yeah, a guard I met before was checking that I was okay," Kagome explained with a shrug, "Why?"

"Nothing," Sesshoumaru shook his head, "there was just a curiously familiar scent."

* * *

Evening had fallen, darkness shrouding the western shiro under its cloak but, inside the impressive building, a war waged in Nami's finest sitting room.

Kagome tilted her head to one side as she watched Nami and Sesshoumaru face off. Nami's smile was teasing but her jabs were ruthless, Sesshoumaru radiated a ferocious intent that was only heightened by his icy demeanour. It was hard to believe that they were only playing shogi.

When the door slid open, Kagome welcomed the distraction, but when she caught a glimpse of the worry etched into Bankotsu's visage, she retracted her relief.

"My lady," he murmured, sketching a hasty bow, "Ryuukotsusei-sama is coming."

"Who?" Kagome asked, glancing from assassin to queen curiously.

"A dragon," Nami murmured, arching a brow as a speculative smile settled onto her features, "A powerful dragon who rules the North."

"Why would he be coming here?" Bankotsu asked, running a hand through his fringe exasperatedly, "his youki is severely out of control. Even I can feel it fluctuating; he must be livid."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously. "The storm is coming."

* * *

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and, yes, the dragon who I've been referring to is Ryuukotsusei. I hope you can find the time to leave a review; I love hearing from you!


	30. Reeling

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

A swirl of purple youki brightened the sky above the Western shiro, the gnarled grey dragon transforming so that Ryuukotsusei's booted humanoid feet landed with a crunch on the earth. Tossing his head, the proud looking demon surveyed the Western shiro, lip curling with distaste.

With much less fanfare, Ryuukotsusei's purple-haired manservant materialised next to his master. Tilting his head to one side, Asuka surveyed his lord. "Do you think this is wise, my lord?"

Tossing his long deep green hair over his shoulder, Ryuukotsusei's dark eyes took in the shiro dispassionately. "I am making the first move," he replied darkly, "this battle will be on my terms."

The door before them slid open abruptly and Nami stepped into the open, one silvery brow arched in disdain. As always the lady of the West was resplendent in her silk, her hair held up by opulent hair pins and her long red-painted claws filed to a deadly tip."Ah, Ryuu-chan, you should know by now that I never allow anyone to fight on their own terms," she thrilled, tapping her hip with those blood-red claws.

"Nami-sama," Ryuukotsusei inclined his head dryly, "as beautiful as ever, I see."

Nami smiled, revealing a lot of teeth, and replied demurely, "As glib as ever, Ryuu-chan."

"And not one word a lie," he assured her.

"Won't you come inside?" Nami queried genially, "I was just having evening tea with my son and daughter-in-law." Her shrewd golden eyes easily caught the shudder of revulsion that passed through the dragon's frame when she mentioned Kagome, yet Nami's smile only grew wider.

"Thank you for the invitation," Ryuukotsusei murmured, gesturing impatiently for Asuka to follow him as he strode into the Western shiro.

Almost gliding over the floorboards, Nami lead her unannounced guests through a maze of corridors to her sitting room. Aine stood waiting outside the door and, with a slight nod to her lady, pulled the door open and bowed respectfully as they filed into the room.

Nami gracefully reclaimed her seat at the head of the table, leaving Ryuukotsusei to settle himself across the table from the young couple and relegating Asuka to kneel subserviently behind him on the hard wooden floor.

Kagome smiled blandly at the large dragon, carefully placing a teacup in front of him and filling it with piping hot tea.

"What perfect timing you have," she commented, tilting her head slightly, "I'd just made another pot."

Nami slid her own empty cup to the crafty human and Kagome dutifully refilled it. "This is my daughter, Kagome-chan. Kagome, meet Ryuukotsusei-sama of the Northern dragon tribe."

"Tch," Ryuukotsusei grunted, sipping from his cup.

Kagome arched a brow and turned a collaborative smile on her mother-in-law. "It seems the pleasure is all mine."

Nami tittered and Ryuukotsusei slammed his cup onto the table. "Are you sassing me, girl?"

Out of sight, Kagome slammed a hand over Sesshoumaru's as he gripped the hilt of his sword, but she kept her visage completely composed. "Are you attempting to start an argument, dragon?"

Ryuukotsusei jerked backwards in surprise and a single ring of smoke blew from his nostril. "Tch." He turned his gaze onto Sesshoumaru, who was attempting to stare a hole through his head. "Are you going to let her do all the talking for you, pup?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "I see no point in wasting time with idle chatter," he growled.

"Well said," Ryuukotsusei nodded briskly, "then I will say my piece."

"If you must," Nami murmured under her breath, a wide smile still stretching her red lips.

The dragon snorted at the comment but otherwise ignored her words entirely. "A union between a human and a demon is preposterous; just as it is preposterous to consider a lion laying with a gazelle. Yet it is not unnatural," he sneered at Kagome.

"You believe I am unnatural?" Kagome asked, narrowing her eyes.

"This," he gestured emphatically between the two of them with a calloused hand, "is unnatural. Miko and Yokai have always been enemies and always will be enemies."

"Demons are constantly attempting to kill demons too," Kagome pointed out firmly, "Nami has delighted me with tales of the old wars. Not too long ago the dragons and the dog-demons were at war."

Ryuukotsusei glowered at the petite woman. "A peace-treaty was enacted."

"And Sesshoumaru and I are becoming mates," Kagome countered, "I fail to see the difference. Both are an allegiance, in fact, I'd say that the bond between Sesshoumaru and I is more secure than your peace-treaty with the Western lands."

The dragon's eyebrows rose in suspicion but his gaze instinctively went to her neck where she wore Sesshoumaru's mark... and something else. His eagle-eyes narrowed as he perused the other mark, widening when he realised that it was a brand. Someone was suppressing a portion of her miko ki.

"I see you have begun the mating process," he said, eyes narrowing as he considered this newest revelation. If Sesshoumaru was binding her to him, then why did they feel it was necessary to reduce her power? Unless, of course, someone else had branded her – was there dissention among the ranks of the West?

It didn't particularly matter; it just meant that she would be easier to kill.

"Congratulations," he smiled pleasantly but was fooling no one.

Graciously accepting his congratulations with a nod, Kagome smiled in return.

"It still bewilders me," he said, directing his statement towards Sesshoumaru, "how you can lie with your natural enemy and not feel the need to end her existence."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "It would seem my natural enemy is sat across the table from me. Cease speaking before I end your existence."

"You think that you can challenge me, pup?" Ryuukotsusei demanded.

Both males rose to their feet slowly, youki crackling in the air between them. Lurid purple met vivid green in an entrancing display of power. The two demons glared at each other, their eyes assessing and cold.

Nami yawned loudly, cutting through the deafening tension in the room. "Well, I'm quite tired." She clapped her ahnds together, further dissolving the tension. "Will you be staying the night, Ryuu-chan?"

Ryuukotsusei's expression darkened for a moment – Kagome got the feeling he didn't get interrupted very often – before he inclined his head to Nami. "As gracious as ever, dearest Nami. I will accept your offer."

"Aine," Nami called, eyes alight with mischief, "assemble a room for our honoured guest, if you would."

* * *

Barely were Ryuukotsusei and his manservant out of sight before Sesshoumaru tossed Kagome over his shoulder, threw his mother an accusing look, and took to the skies.

Nami watched him glide back to his own shiro amusedly. Her son really didn't know her very well if he thought she was deliberately endangering Kagome's life. Certainly, she was exacting a certain perverse happiness from the entire scenario, but she did not want to see the little miko dead. Kagome was too much fun.

No, she was keeping Ryuukotsusei close for an entirely different reason. A reason that would not be explained until much later if she were to take this situation into her own hands. As she had told the dragon; she never let anyone play by their own rules. Sooner or later, everyone danced to her tune. And what a fun little ditty it was.

She laughed and Bankotsu, never far away from his lady's side, flinched. That laugh was never a good thing.

* * *

Kagome was getting used to being thrown over Sesshoumaru's shoulder. That's not to say she liked it, because she merely endured it most of the time, but right now she figured it was the least of her problems.

Sesshoumaru only let her down when they reached their room and then he strode away from her and slammed the door shut. He kept his back turned on her as he breathed deeply; Kagome wondered concernedly how angry he was.

"Sesshoumaru—" Kagome winced as he punched his way through the wall. Even with her untrained eyes she could see his youki as it crackled around him, his shoulders tensing. She supposed that he should have been terrifying, but Kagome only wanted to hold him. It was probably that instinct that had made her drag him in from the cold the first time she'd seen him lying in the snow.

"No," he said, shaking his head before he turned to look at her over his shoulder. "No talking."

Kagome nodded and held out her hands, beckoning him closer and praying he would come to her. The demon stepped into her touch and she ran her hands over his arms until she gripped his shoulders. He dropped his forehead down onto hers for a moment and breathed deeply.

All in one movement he removed her hands from his shoulders and took her fragile hands in his clawed ones.

"Tonight," he whispered against her temple, "we will just be."

For a long time they sat ensconced in each other's embrace. Sesshoumaru sat with his back against the wall, Kagome sat between his legs with her back against his chest. Their hands were still clasped, their fingers entwined. Kagome's head lolled back against his shoulder and Sesshoumaru leant his head down, his cheek resting against her temple.

Kagome wiggled her bare toes, marvelling at the way his legs were so much longer than hers. Though, whilst being in the makai, she'd noticed that most demons tended to tower over her. She felt strangely sleepy yet not, enjoying the sensation of his breaths ghosting across her brow and the feel of his heart beating behind her. For hours now his thumbs had been running intricate little patterns over the backs of her palms and, every now and then, he'd dip his nose into her hair and nuzzle.

After the turbulence of the recent weeks this little respite felt like their oasis in the desert. It was nice to simply be. Not human and demon, not prince and pauper, just Sesshoumaru and Kagome.

"Ryuukotsusei is a little older than I am," Sesshoumaru eventually spoke, the whisper sounding like a shout in the deeply silent room. "When we were young our parents would bring us together to play."

Kagome frowned. "You didn't seem very friendly."

"He took great delight in stealing my things and hiding them. And he would torment me with his flame," Sesshoumaru continued, "until one day I developed my poisonous claws."

"And you got your own back?"

"I sliced off the end of his tail," Sesshoumaru admitted and Kagome felt rather than saw his shrug. "To this day, in his dragon-body, he is missing the barbs that should be on the end of his tail."

Kagome whistled and then laughed. "No wonder you two don't like each other."

Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I will not let him take you too."

Kagome snuggled back against her demon. "This can't be Ryuukotsusei's problem with _me_. He seemed to hate humans in general."

Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment before he said, "I believe his father had a human concubine before the formation of the makai. Perhaps that is his reason."

"Huh," Kagome muttered, "And to think, when I was a kid all I had to worry about was Miroku?"

Ignoring the irrational jealousy that struck him when she said another man's name with such affection, Sesshoumaru asked, "Who is Miroku?"

"He's my best friend," Kagome told him, "he was always getting into trouble. But he's a good guy and so I was always his alibi and he was my comic relief. When I was little I was very serious, he was the one who'd forcibly make me enjoy myself."

Sesshoumaru cleared his throat awkwardly unsure what he should do with the jealousy brewing. "You sound close."

"We are," Kagome pursed her lips, "I hope he's not worried about me."

Sesshoumaru stiffened. "You want to return to him?" he asked sharply.

Kagome turned around in his lap to look at him; he looked away a slight furrow between his brows. "I want to stay with you," she corrected him, "but I also wanted to share my best friend with you. It doesn't matter to me that Miroku is a guy; he's just my friend."

Sesshoumaru allowed her to turn his face so that he looked at her again. She smiled softly. "You're adorable when you're jealous."

Sesshoumaru growled and tackled her, Kagome shrieking happily as they landed on the soft futon, Sesshoumaru crouched over her.

"I am a predator," he reminded her, a dark glint in his eye.

Kagome brushed his hair behind his ear. "An adorable predator."

* * *

Ryuukotsusei irately paced the room Nami had given to him, his long green hair fluttering behind him as he moved jerkily.

"My lord?" Asuka asked, eyes downcast to avoid unduly inciting his lord's ire. "You are unsatisfied by this evening?"

Ryuukotsusei ground to a halt and glowered at his manservant. "A minor understatement," he snarled, "that dog is far too protective of his miko. There will be no killing her whilst he is around." Ryuukotsusei took a seat and let out a deep sigh. "No, instead we will have to divide and conquer."

Asuka inclined his head; it seemed his lord had a troublesome plan up his sleeves.

* * *

A/N: Well, there we go! I hope you enjoyed my update and I'd love to hear from you guys in the reviews if you have a moment to spare.


	31. Hidden Motives

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Kouga walked in to the kitchen in time to see Miroku hung up the phone and run a hand through his long hair.

"Was that Kagome-san's mother?" the werewolf asked, folding his arms.

Miroku glanced at him in surprise and shrugged. "Yes."

Kouga wasn't sure what Miroku was feeding Mrs Higurashi about Kagome's disappearance but it seemed to be working.

Miroku sat down and propped his elbows on Kouga's dining room table, rubbing his temples rhythmically.

"What is it?" the werewolf demanded crabbily. Since Kagome's disappearance he'd basically inherited a roommate and, whilst the man was generally a genial and witty person to be around, there were times when he would pull his elusive card from his back pocket and become irritatingly mysterious.

"Kagome appears to be in danger," Miroku grumbled, rubbing his temples.

"Where?" Kouga snapped, jumping to his feet.

Miroku glanced up. "Not anywhere you can reach by foot," he said consolingly, "but I am confident that her allies are more powerful than the threat itself."

Kouga snorted, throwing his hands into the air. "Doesn't mean shit if she's separated from her allies."

Miroku's eyes darkened and he glanced away from the werewolf. Kouga watched the enigmatic man as he visibly pulled himself together before standing abruptly. "So, how about breakfast?" he asked, moving to the kitchen and rolling up his sleeves.

Recognising that the monk was attempting to keep himself busy, Kouga could only agree with the offer of breakfast even as his thoughts remained with his dark-haired neighbour.

* * *

Gliding through the winding corridors of her shiro, Nami followed her nose and was unsurprised when it led her outside. She drew back the doors, unsurprised to find Ryuukotsusei sat on a convenient rock, watching the herd of dragons as they grazed nearby.

He stared out pensively at the herd which gave the more powerful dragon a wide and wary berth.

"Were you feeling lonely?" she asked teasingly, leaning against a hibiscus tree casually.

He flicked his gaze towards her, the momentary widening of his eyes betraying his surprise even as he tried to mask it. Nami was exceedingly adept at hiding herself to sneak up on unsuspecting souls.

"Not now that you have joined me, Nami-sama," he said smoothly, inclining his head regally.

"Flirt," she accused lightly, tilting her head to one side curiously as she watched him.

He stood from his perch, dusting his silks of any clinging dust and turned to face her, "You accuse me as if you doubt my sincerity."

Nami blinked slowly. "I have no doubt that you mean every word of your flattery," she said with an elegant shrug, "after all, I am rather exquisite."

The dragon smiled crookedly. "And modest."

"It is the truth," Nami admonished, pursing her lips, "but your affection for me is rather bewildering, nonetheless."

"Because I am young?" he demanded heatedly, lips curled in a snarl.

"I watched you grow up," Nami pinned him with a dry look; "I remember when you played with my son. So I will never think of you as anything other than a pup chasing his own tail."

The dragon flinched at the deliberate calmness behind her virulent words. "And I was always see you as perfection," he confessed solemnly.

Nami rolled her eyes at the dragon's tenacity. "I will not allow you to hurt the miko," she warned lowly, "she is everything to my son."

"You cannot trust her?" he was incredulous, taking a determined step towards the demoness.

"She is harmless," Nami scoffed, "and wishes me no harm."

"Are you referring to the brand?" Ryuukotsusei interrogated her, advancing once again.

Nami arched a brow. "Actually, I was referring to her general amiability."

"So you didn't brand her in self preservation?" he demanded.

Nami spread her hands innocently. "If I had branded her, I wouldn't have missed," she hummed, "but Kagome was already branded when she came to me."

The dragon frowned slightly. "Then, Sesshoumaru?"

"My son would never harm that young woman," Nami assured him, tilting her chin.

Ryuukotsusei attempted to stare Nami down but, regardless of her short stature, she was looking down on him coolly. "Well, it doesn't matter," he eventually ground out from between gritted teeth.

"No," she said quietly, "it doesn't."

With one last attempt at glaring Nami into submission, he turned on his heel and stormed away.

"Oh, and Ryuu-chan?" she called out, halting the dragon in his tracks, "Don't do anything rash."

At her words his shoulders straightened and he continued along his way stiffly.

* * *

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Kagome bolted upright at the shriek and head butted Sesshoumaru who'd been asleep with his cheek on her temple. Clutching her throbbing head, she glowered at a bemused looking Sesshoumaru. He rubbed his cheek thoughtfully but didn't seem to be in any pain whatsoever; evidently demon heads were made of tough stuff.

"Who screamed?" she asked grouchily.

The door to their rooms was yanked open violently and Jaken appeared, panting heavily from exertion.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" he wailed again breathlessly.

One of Sesshoumaru's boots hit the little kappa in his midriff, Sesshoumaru glowered at him. "Cease making such noise," he growled.

"It's terrible!" the kappa wailed quietly, his large eyes filling with tears.

"What is?" Kagome demanded, a little tired of the kappa's theatrics in the morning.

"That idiotic two-headed dragon is loose!" Jaken squawked.

Kagome sagged in relief. "Ah Un is loose?" she confirmed, "I thought something terrible was happening."

"Did someone attempt to bathe them?" Sesshoumaru asked in a tone of one who had been made to put up with such a thing many times.

"They don't like baths?" Kagome asked behind a giggle.

"They enjoy bathing in rivers, but if someone takes a bucket and a sponge to them then they tend to panic," he explained dryly.

"That's so cute!" Kagome climbed from the futon and tugged impatiently on Sesshoumaru's hands in an attempt to get him to follow. "Let's go and catch them."

Her exuberance as endearing but Sesshoumaru knew it would flee the moment she realised she would be chasing the wily dragons for hours. Quickly getting dressed, he followed Kagome into the gardens, where a hyperactive Ah-Un was rolling in the grass like an overgrown puppy.

"I wish I could take a picture!" Kagome exclaimed.

Ah and Un glanced up at the sound of Kagome's voice but their gaze landed on their nonplussed master. They'd thought, by the tone of her voice, that Kagome was coming to play, but it seemed that their lord had other ideas. Tumbling to their feet, the two headed dragon leapt into the skies in an attempt to escape their master's disapproval.

Gripping Sesshoumaru's sleeve tightly, Kagome pointed after the dragon imperiously. "Up, up and away!"

With a snort, Sesshoumaru did as she bid, taking to the skies on a cloud of youki, his arm holding her around her waist.

Ah and Un balked as their master sped towards them and pulled an evasive manoeuvre and leapt further into the skies. Gritting his teeth in impatience, Sesshoumaru began to follow after the dragon but then he ground to an abrupt halt.

Still clinging to his sleeve, Kagome tugged on the silk as she looked up at his stricken expression. "Sesshoumaru?"

"Ryuukotsusei," he snarled, the sound vibrating through Kagome as his aura unleashed itself in unmistakable rage. The resulting lightshow built tumultuously until it touched the clouds above them, casting the wisps away as it clashed with the aura of the giant dragon laying in wait.

Up close, Ryuukotsusei's true form was a behemoth; from snout to tip he was larger than Kagome could actually see. In a lightning fast movement, the dragon's stubby tail whipped out and Sesshoumaru turned quickly, protecting the little miko by exposing his back to the blow.

Kagome watched in horror as Sesshoumaru's face tightened in pain, the blow throwing them across the bright sky until Sesshoumaru stopped them with a grunt. The cloud buoying them once again kept them in the skies.

"Forgive me for this," Sesshoumaru spoke to Kagome softly, kissing her forehead.

"What?"

Then his ear-splitting whistle filled the skies and he threw Kagome from the cloud. Kagome didn't even have chance to scream as she fell through the skies for around thirty seconds before Ah-Un rocketed to her, catching her on their back. Ah held her firmly with his great neck as Un steered, flying them back to the house.

Fear dissipating now that she realised Sesshoumaru's plan, Kagome scrambled to her knees on the two headed dragon's back, gripping Ah's mane as she sought Sesshoumaru out desperately.

He stood on his cloud of youki, miniscule compared to the dragon that stared him down from above the clouds.

"Sesshoumaru!" she cried out, cursing the fact that she didn't have her bow and arrows with her. "Take me back," she begged Ah and Un, not knowing exactly what she could do to help in this situation but she was loathe to allow herself to be carried to the safety of the shiro without Sesshoumaru.

He looked so small, stood on his cloud, facing off against a creature that bared fangs as tall as him.

Sesshoumaru glanced at Kagome out of the corner of his eyes, noting the stricken expression on her face; the woman seriously underestimated him.

"Ready to flee, Sesshoumaru?" Ryuukotsusei demanded in his deep rumbling dragon's voice.

Sesshoumaru cracked his neck, his eyes slowly bleeding red as his markings became jagged. "I will make you regret releasing my beast."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat as Sesshoumaru's youki began to pour from him, creating a vivid funnel that completely eclipsed her lover from view.

The tornado of youki grew and Kagome held her hair back from her eyes as it attempted to blind her. She was stuck with the impression that she really didn't want to miss this.

And then the twister exploded outward, the backlash of youki-fuelled wind should have made her flinch, but she was staring transfixed at Sesshoumaru's new form.

Covered in a thick white fur, the giant dog stood in the sky and met Ryuukotsusei's gaze. The beast was just as awe inspiring as the dragon as he opened his massive maw and bared his gargantuan fangs in a bone chilling snarl. He really was Fluff-zilla.

"Whoa," Kagome whispered as Ah-Un touched down in the garden. She stepped from the beast's back, still holding on to Ah's mane as she tilted her head to the skies to watch Sesshoumaru.

"A chilling sight to be sure," a smooth voice murmured.

Kagome spun on her heel and cursed herself for not being more aware of her surroundings. Asuka stood between her and the shiro, his eyes fixed blankly on her face. Jaken lay on the dirt at his feet, clearly having been recently bludgeoned unconscious if the knot on his head was any indication.

"You're Ryuukotsusei's servant, right?" Kagome clarified.

"Asuka," he supplied, inclining his head.

If he was here to kill her, he was being rather genial about the entire thing. "Why are you doing this?"

"Divide and conquer," he said, "not just of you and Sesshoumaru-sama, but I have also separated you from your weapon." He gestured dismissively to the pile of wood at his feet that used to be her bow and arrows.

Kagome could feel her tanto where it was concealed within her kimono; right now it was pressed against her rapidly beating heart. Unfortunately, she wasn't very good with a blade and the only way it would be of any use would be at close quarters when he was caught off guard. Which meant that this was probably going to hurt; a lot.

Ah-Un, taking exception to this stranger, blasted him with enough fire to fell an elephant. Unfortunately, Asuka merely batted it away with the back of his hand as if it was an irritable bug and, in a movement too fast for Kagome to register, he'd grabbed the dragon by their tail and thrown them through the shiro.

"Ah-Un!" Kagome cried as she watched the dragon take out the far wall of the shiro before they were buried in falling debris. However attention soon diverted by a pain filled growl from the skies. She turned, glancing up in fright at the sky to discover Sesshoumaru nursing a singed paw and snarling dangerously. The dragon attempted to take advantage of Sesshoumaru's pain and struck but the wily dog dodged the blow and sunk his fangs into the dragon's long neck.

Kagome sighed in relief.

"Bad idea," Asuka whispered in her ear and Kagome jerked as he grabbed her wrist in his hand and applied excruciating pressure.

Kagome dropped to her knees, her wrist still in his hand as he slowly squeezed. His expression was curious as he looked down at her, still applying more and more pressure until she screamed out, the sound carrying even over the roars from the battle above them, as he snapped the bone.

"Huh, humans really are weak," he said dispassionately.

* * *

A/N: They're in a bit of a tight spot, huh? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the update – even if I did leave you with a colossal cliff hanger – and I hope you'll take the time to review!


	32. Escape Attempt

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

A thrill of genuine fear shot through Sesshoumaru's being when Kagome's scream reached his ears. All his life on the field of battle he'd been steadfast, determined and unafraid. He'd never lost a battle and never feared that it would happen. But that scream was enough to bring him to his knees and, for the first time in his life, Sesshoumaru was distracted from the battle before him as he turned his great head to look at his miko.

His mistake cost him dearly, Ryuukotsusei reacted lightning fast and raked his talons along Sesshoumaru's spine as he unleashed another burning flame. Sesshoumaru howled as he was scorched and flung Ryuukotsusei from his back, snapping at the dragon's neck in retaliation.

Kagome cradled her wrist to her chest as she felt the heat roll from the sky above her; she couldn't look up and see what had made that howl rip through the sky because she knew it would be the end of her. Gritting her teeth against the pain, Kagome attempted to rise from her hunched over position but Asuka kicked her.

The force of the blow sent her flying and she bit her lip to keep from crying out as she rolled across the grass.

Using her good hand, she pushed herself into a half-sitting position, biting down harder on her lip as her ribs protested the move.

"I'm not going to kill you," Asuka assured her, glancing up to the battle Kagome could hear and feel happening. "But as long as I can keep you screaming, Sesshoumaru-sama will remain distracted and Ryuukotsusei-sama will win."

"Why is this so important to Ryuukotsusei?" Kagome asked through gritted teeth.

Asuka tilted his head to one side. "An old grudge." He shrugged.

"Why isn't anyone else coming?" Kagome asked next, praying that if she kept him busy by asking questions then he wouldn't have chance to hurt her.

"I have placed a barrier around this shiro to contain the youki emitting during the fight," he explained as he slowly stalked towards her. "Now, scream," he ordered.

Kagome glowered as he grabbed her by her hair, pulling her up until she was on her knees.

"What should I break next?" he asked as he gazed down at her apathetically.

Kagome bit her lip once again to avoid crying out, a small trickle of blood sliding down her chin.

The scent of Kagome's blood hit Sesshoumaru like a freight tain, even over the stench of his own singed fur. The scent overpowered his higher brain and enraged his beast – making him see red.

He'd begun to claim Kagome, so he was already highly possessive but also insecure due to the incompletion of the mating – these two factors conspired to send Sesshoumaru spiralling into a panicked rage for the miko.

He snapped his attention away from Ryuukotsusei and raced through the skies, shifting back to his human form as, even enraged beyond normal control, his beast knew he didn't want to accidentally trample Kagome.

Ryuukotsusei also shifted back to his humanoid shape and unsheathed his sword; he'd been waiting for the moment when Sesshoumaru was most vulnerable and now, humanoid, weakened and presenting his back he was a prime target.

Only survival instincts saved the silver-haired demon from being sliced in half; Sesshoumaru turned to the side at the very last moment, though he was not quick enough to escape damage.

Not a sound came from Sesshoumaru's mouth as Ryuukotsusei's blade sliced through his arm but a bloodcurdling scream left Kagome's lips as she watched the arm fall.

"Sesshoumaru!"

Ignoring the loss of his limb, Sesshoumaru disbanded his youki cloud, allowing himself to fall straight down. He landed in a half-crouch next to Asuka, the impact shaking the earth beneath them and stood sharply, bringing his claws up in an arc.

Asuka tumbled backwards, dead before he even hit the earth.

Sesshoumaru reached out for Kagome, tugging her towards him until she rested her chin on his shoulder as he held her tightly to his chest. Looking over his shoulder, Kagome's heart almost stopped.

"No!" she screeched as Ryuukotsusei brought up his sword, her good hand swinging out with the youkai speed Sesshoumaru had said she'd be able to access in times of crisis.

Ryuukotsusei glanced down blankly at the tanto protruding from his stomach, his eyes widened as he looked back at Kagome. Her eyes were wild as she gripped the hilt of her tanto; it seemed her borrowed-youkai-speed had only kicked in so that she could protect Sesshoumaru.

"Go to hell!" she snarled.

A flare of purifying power sped down the blade and Ryuukotsusei's back bowed as he roared, the burning pain radiating from the sword.

He staggered backwards, Kagome holding onto the sword and keeping her eyes on him as Sesshoumaru moved them, placing her at his back. The two stared at him, Kagome eyes alight with protectiveness holding her tanto and Sesshoumaru eyes alight with bloodlust and possessiveness, seemingly unconcerned with his lack of a limb.

Ryuukotsusei pressed his hand to the wound and grit his teeth. "Nice try, miko," he hissed, "but it will take a lot more than that to kill me! Your powers are, fortunately, sealed. This was no more than a mosquito bite."

He laughed, even though sweat beaded on his brow and blood was staining his kimono. "And your guard dog is almost defeated, all thanks to your distractions."

Sesshoumaru snarled dangerously, his fangs bared and his eyes completely red.

"You are both dead," Ryuukotsusei proclaimed proudly.

"Oh dear," a familiar voice hummed lackadaisically, "seems that someone forgot that you're playing on my terms, Ryuu-chan."

Kagome had never been so glad to hear Nami's mocking voice.

Ryuukotsusei spun quickly but he wasn't fast enough. Nami materialised at his side and he dropped with an agonised cry to the ground, the tendons in his legs severed.

"Once your little man servant was sliced and diced I was made aware of this little party," she sang, smiling hugely, "and I'm so sad that I wasn't invited."

"Nami-sama," Ryuukotsusei hissed, "I was merely trying to protect you!"

Nami turned cold eyes on the paralysed dragon. "Yes, because your father and mother were killed by that priestess, correct?"

Ryuukotsusei snarled violently.

"You cannot hold it against her," Nami continued lazily, "she was only rescuing her sister, your father's human concubine."

"She was a vile beast and this one will betray you too, Nami-sama," he said, eyes anguished. "I was only trying to protect you!"

Nami quirked a brow, eyes narrowing dangerously. "By murdering my pup?" she asked, voice low and deadly. "Or was that just a bonus?"

Ryuukotsusei glanced down, he'd allowed his past rivalry to overcome his actual intentions and now Nami seemed to hate him.

Nami shook her head. "I'd hoped you'd forgotten your puppy love for me," she paused and smirked, "though I am rather unforgettable."

Then her face darkened again. "I'd hoped it wouldn't come to this," she continued, voice flat and unemotional. "But no one touches my son," she hissed.

Nami's hand was a blur of killing intent, flashing green with her poison but Ryuukotsusei's desperation made him faster and transformed once more into his dragon form.

Nami stepped back, eyes hard as she watched the dragon take to the skies. Sesshoumaru snarled menacingly, pushing Kagome back further. Kagome gaped as the wounded dragon flew away, his back legs bleeding profusely.

Nami folded her arms. "Should have plucked his wings," she murmured.

"Is it okay to let him leave?" Kagome asked concernedly.

Nami lifted one elegant shoulder in a half-shrug. "Ordinarily? No. But since you two are both injured quite badly I would not feel confident in leaving you to chase him down; you could be attacked again whilst I am away."

Kagome's eyes hardened. "What do we do?"

"We find the person who branded Sesshoumaru," Nami decided, "and get the brand lifted so you are better able to defend yourself."

Kagome laughed a little hollowly. "You make it sound so easy."

Nami finally flicked her gaze over her son and daughter-in-law, assessing the damage with a careful eye. "You need a healer, little miko," she realised, stepping forwards with her hands outstretched.

Neither woman was expecting the snarl that ripped from Sesshoumaru's chest at the move and Nami snatched her hand back, arching a brow at her son's behaviour.

"Oh dear," she hummed, looking vaguely amused as her son attempted to cover Kagome with his body even as he backed away from Nami.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome questioned, looking up at him from her position tucked under his chin.

"He's still acting as if there is a threat," Nami explained, taking a few measured steps away from her son. "And apparently I am part of the threat he perceives."

Kagome pushed at the arm holding her in a vice grip. "You idiot, you need to get your arm seen to!"

"Actually, it's healed over," Nami murmured, "his healing kicked in to stop the bleeding."

Very gently, Sesshoumaru picked Kagome up and hung her over his shoulder, still baring his fangs in warning at his mother. The younger demon then proceeded to back away from the perceived threat – his gleefully grinning mother – and into his den.

"What do I do?" Kagome wailed helplessly.

"Don't try to escape," Nami advised, "it will only make him feel you are challenging his claim over you."

"And then what would happen?"

"He'd assert his dominance," Nami shrugged like this was no big thing.

"What about my arm?" she asked through gritted teeth, now that the adrenaline from the fight was wearing off the pain was resurfacing with a vengeance.

Nami arched an eyebrow regardless of the fact Kagome couldn't see her from her current position. "You're a miko, blessed with the art of healing. Heal yourself," she said unsympathetically.

"I don't know how to use my powers!" Kagome wailed as Sesshoumaru reached the hole Ah-Un had made through the screen doors and backed through it. She was literally seconds away from having a full-blown temper tantrum on Sesshoumaru's shoulder. Either that or she was going to throw-up from the pain in her wrist and ribs.

Nami wrinkled her elegant brow as the couple disappeared into her son's shiro. "Don't heal yourself to rid yourself of the pain," she called, aware of the fact that Kagome's powers seemed to flare in defence of Sesshoumaru, "heal yourself so that you can calm Sesshoumaru down. The longer you remain in pain, the longer he remains instinct-driven."

Kagome huffed at Nami's words, blowing some of her hair out of her eyes. It was all very well to tell her to do it, but that didn't make it any easier to tap into the power she supposedly had at her beck and call. It was analogous to telling a baby to walk; it certainly has the capacity to walk but it also lacks the experience in order to accomplish the task. At that moment, Kagome felt exactly like a child.

They passed Ah-Un on the way to the bedroom, the two headed dragon shaking itself from unconsciousness and reassuring Kagome when they began to lick each other's injuries. In the back of her mind she wondered why Sesshoumaru wasn't acting adversely to the two-headed dragon but the pain wasn't allowing her to dwell on anything else.

When they reached the bedroom, Sesshoumaru carefully lowered Kagome onto the futon and crawled on behind her. Still wild-eyed, he leaned in to examine the wrist she was holding in a tentative grip. He sniffed at it like a curious dog and then he licked it and she flinched, whimpering as she jarred her own injury. Sesshoumaru snarled in reply, looking vexed that there was no enemy for him to annihilate.

Kagome would have laughed if she wasn't trying not to cry.

"Neither of us knows how to make it better," she grunted, closing her eyes tightly as she prayed for her powers to somehow help out.

A moment later when nothing had happened, she opened her eyes and glared at the ceiling; this was not fair, fate couldn't give her super healing and then forget to deliver the instruction manual! She had to get better; if she didn't they were both useless.

Sesshoumaru snarled a little as her reiki flared to life around her sore ribs and broken wrist, seeking out the damage. Kagome recognised the tingling sensation from the few times she'd managed to use her powers before, but this time it was more intense. Whereas before she'd been using a short burst offensively, she was now attempting to keep up the energy in order to heal. It was ridiculously draining and almost instantly sweat beaded on her brow and her back arched a little.

Fifteen of the longest minutes of her life later, Kagome flopped back onto the mattress, covered in sweat and breathing harshly as if she'd just run a marathon.

"Sesshoumaru," she breathed at the red-eyed demon leaned over her again. She reached a hand up and cupped the jagged marks on his cheek with her last vestiges of strength. "I need to sleep now," she told him and then her eyelids slid shut and her hand fell back onto the mattress limply.

The demon nosed her forehead concernedly but quickly ascertained that she was merely recuperating. Scooping up his female, he slung her over his shoulder once more and sought out the bathing chambers. After the ordeal they'd been through he wanted to look over her body and clean the trials of the day from her flesh.

Sesshoumaru came back to himself in the hot spring, Kagome draped against his chest as he ran his hand through her hair. Losing himself to his bestial side wasn't like blacking out, it was more like he was acting entirely without conscious thought. Everything he did he considered doing normally but, when cognitive processes ruled, he rarely acted on those instincts.

He glanced down at their reflection in the water of the springs. It was distorted by the ripples, but he was still content with the way Kagome fit against him. His eyes were drawn to his absent arm causing a frown to crease his brow.

It hadn't seemed important at all at the time and he would gladly sacrifice all of his limbs for Kagome – though he'd rather not because it would leave him rather useless – but now he was caught up in the loss of his limb. Would Kagome be horrified by his new disfigurement? He'd never been anything less than beautiful before, so this new lack was surprisingly hard to deal with.

It was easy to reassure himself that it was simply a by-product of protecting his mate-to-be but, at the same time, he couldn't help but think that it he had been faster, he could have avoided the wound altogether.

Grumbling a little in her sleep, Kagome shifted against him, her hand reaching out absently and stroking against the end of his amputated arm. She nuzzled a little closer and mumbled a garbled version of his name.

His lips twitched a little; he hadn't been fast enough to save his arm but he had been fast enough to save Kagome and that was all that really mattered. He may only have one arm now, but he would still use it to defend Kagome from Ryuukotsusei should he return.

Picking up Kagome with one arm was a bit of a performance, but he eventually got them both back to his rooms and curled up behind her on the futon. Face pressed against the hollow of her throat, Sesshoumaru's gaze was drawn to the brand on her neck.

Truly, in order to heal all the damage Asuka had inflicted on her even when her power was weakened by the brand, Kagome was ridiculously powerful. Yet, in order to ahceive her true potential, he would have to remove the brand. Something that was only possible if the person who had cast it died or removed it themselves. He sighed in consternation and stroked her hair away from her temple.

And then something occurred to him. Perhaps Kagome could transfer the brand as she had once before, onto someone else... perhaps even onto Ryuukotsusei. It was possible, but she'd removed the brand in the first place in her desire to save him; similar circumstances might be required for her to transfer it again.

He frowned, eyelids growing heavy as the long day finally caught up with him. He'd lost a lot of blood and used a lot of energy – both combined to send the demon spiralling away into slumber.

* * *

Ryuukotsusei crashed to a stop just outside the doors of his shiro, taking out several thousand year old trees and ploughing a massive furrow in the earth, youki flaring feebly as he transformed back to his humanoid shape. The guards at his gate stared at their master in shock as he tilted his head up to stare at them.

"Don't just stand there!" he snapped at them, "bring me the healer!"

One rushed forwards, looping one of his master's arms around his neck and dragging him to his feet. Ryuukotsusei cursed his own weakness as the guard dragged him to his quarters, his legs still useless thanks to Nami's attack; she was a vicious predator.

He was laid out on his futon and the healer was immediately brought to his rooms to see to the only injury that concerned him; the stab wound the miko had inflicted upon him. The others would heal on their own, but this one was not healing in the slightest and he was still bleeding sluggishly.

The healer applied his potions and salves and Ryuukotsusei stared at his own ceiling, silently cursing his own rashness. He should have waited to attack; he should have lured them further away from Nami and their home-turf advantage.

The door to his rooms slammed open, emitting a beautiful, purple-haired woman with wild eyes. "Where is Asuka?" she demanded, her voice high-pitched and a little hysterical.

"He died by Sesshoumaru's hand," Ryuukotsusei got out from between gritted teeth.

The female shrieked with wordless rage and turned on her heel, evidently to find the dog and skin him.

"Stop her," Ryuukotsusei ordered and the woman was lifted from the ground by two of his guards.

She turned baleful eyes upon her master. "Why?" she snarled.

"Because we need to be clever," he spat, "and running in claws first will not help. Nami-sama would cut you down."

"I will kill him," she vowed gutturally.

Ryuukotsusei shook his head. "We will kill them both, in due time."

* * *

A/N: There we go! I hope you enjoyed this update and I'd love to hear from you in a review.


	33. Let's Split Up and Search for Clues

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Consciousness returned slowly to Kagome and she fought the lulling pull of sleep to open her eyes. The sunlight felt harsh against her retinas and she squinted around the room, propping herself up with her elbow.

Her entire body ached dully and she really needed to go to eat something. In fact, it felt like she'd been asleep for quite a while. She glanced down at Sesshoumaru who was still out cold, sprawled face down next to her on their futon.

It was at that point that she noticed her nakedness and that Sesshoumaru was also naked. With a little eep she grabbed at the blankets and clutched them defensively to her chest. The blankets fell from around Sesshoumaru and she had a moment to admire his naked form before her eyes were caught by the remainder of his arm.

A shaky hand reached out to run her fingers over the relatively undamaged bicep, pressing against the toned muscle and following it down to the stump. It had healed over smoothly but she couldn't prevent the tears that came to her eyes nor the hand she pressed to her mouth.

Sesshoumaru's nose twitched and he opened his eyes, immediately tensing and pulling away when he noticed the placement of her hand. His face tightened defensively as he climbed from the futon and put distance between them; he didn't want to see the disgust.

Kagome, still clutching the sheet, crawled towards him on the futon. "I'm so sorry!" she wailed, her bottom lip trembling.

Sesshoumaru jerked, taken aback by her apology. "Pardon?"

"It's my fault that your arm is gone," she whispered, face crumpling, "because you were trying to protect me."

"You are not disgusted?" he clarified, relief overwhelming him even as he felt embarrassment at jumping to conclusions.

Kagome flinched as if she'd been slapped. "Of course not!" she said, clambering from the futon, her nakedness forgotten as she approached him. Sesshoumaru watched her approach with unreadable eyes and she laid one of her hands over the end of his arm, the other cupping his cheek. "You don't blame me?" she asked softly.

Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed and he shook his head. "I was the one who failed to protect you."

Kagome blinked and then her face broke out into a soft smile. Like clouds clearing to reveal the sun, the tension in the room retreated. "Looks like we're both trying to take the blame, huh?"

"Hnn," Sesshoumaru hummed.

She stepped closer still, laying her head over his heart and wrapping her arms around him tightly. She'd nearly lost her life many times since journeying to the makai, but, somehow, seeing Sesshoumaru without an arm made the mortal danger so much more real. Before, they'd never walked away from their fights with lasting damage.

Sesshoumaru tensed in her hold and she turned her head slightly to find him glowering at his mother. Nami leant casually against the doorframe of their room, having apparently opened the door without anyone noticing.

"It is good to see you both up and about," Nami spoke, a small smile curling her lips. "You were both asleep for two days."

Kagome's eyebrows flew to her hairline. "Well that explains why I'm so hungry."

"Come then," Nami nodded her head in the direction of the dining area. "We can dine and discuss."

With that the Lady of the Western lands sauntered away, leaving the couple to themselves. Relaxing once more, Kagome laid her head back over Sesshoumaru's heart.

"Let's face the music."

* * *

Kagome and Sesshoumaru settled opposite Nami, who was reclining with a cup of fragrant tea. They'd relocated to Nami's shiro and found Nami awaiting them with a veritable feast laid out on the table in front of her courtesy of Aine. It was a conundrum as to when, exactly, Nami ever ate; she only ever seemed to ingest endless cups of tea.

"It took you quite a while to get here," Nami noted, eyes flickering over her son's lack of an arm. "Are you adapting?"

To some, her coarse question would appear a little pointed, but Kagome saw it for what it was; motherly concern for her only child. Sesshoumaru shrugged a little, looking decidedly uncomfortable at his mother's intense scrutiny.

Kagome rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I'm not very good at putting a kimono on," she confessed, alleviating the tension a little with her remark, "and putting hakama on someone else it quite tricky."

Sesshoumaru arched a brow. "Especially considering you seem to be offended by nudity."

Flapping her hands as if she could shoo away the accusation, Kagome said, "Not offended... embarrassed by your complete lack of modesty? Maybe."

"So innocent," Nami tittered, tapping her chin, "I haven't seen any one blush like that in such a while."

Kagome wrinkled her nose. "Thanks for the meal," she muttered, rolling her chopsticks between her hands before promptly digging in to the meal, followed swiftly by Sesshoumaru.

Nami leaned back against the wall behind her leisurely as she watched the pair attack their food like they expected it to be stolen from them at any minute. Kagome was eating so fast she was dropping rice grains, one was even stuck to the end of her nose. Whilst Sesshoumaru matched her for speed he took concise measured nibbles, creating no mess at all.

When the two of them had an all out slap fight over who got the last dumpling, Nami actually smiled contentedly. If the two could engage in such foolishness then they were really okay. She'd been worried when Sesshoumaru's shiro had refused to allow her entry for two days; used to overseeing every disaster, it had felt strange to be estranged from her son as he healed.

When they had polished off every scrap of food on the table, Nami sat forwards, interlacing her fingers as she adopted her best 'War-Council' expression. "Ryuu-chan made it back to his own shiro in one piece... more or less."

Sesshoumaru huffed; had it really been too much to ask that the dragon die easily?

Kagome shifted uneasily in her seat. "Isn't that bad? He's really important right?"

Nami inclined her head to the miko. "He is. As ruler of the North he is well within his rights to wage war on us."

"He started it!" Kagome exclaimed indignantly, slapping her hand down on the table.

Nami tittered a little. "Be that as it may, wars have been started over less, little miko."

Pointedly, Sesshoumaru announced, "He will not start war."

Shooting him a sidelong glance, Kagome said, "Huh?"

Nami nodded. "Sesshoumaru is right. Ryuu-chan will not openly go to war with the West, if he does he risks breaking the treaty between all of the lands.

"What treaty?" Kagome asked curiously.

"We all decided a long time ago that wars were rather pointless; personal battles solved problems a lot quicker and more efficiently," Nami gave an elegant shrug, "So, as long as no one wages war, we will remain in a peace time. But as soon as anyone shows any signs of war... the entire treaty falls apart."

"Kind of like 'I will if you will'?" Kagome asked.

Sesshoumaru snorted at her simplification. It reduced them down to their pettiest level and exposed the triviality at the cores of most of the demonic rulers.

Nami's eyes flashed. "Yes. If Ryuu-chan attacks the West, the East will have no need to uphold their end of the agreement and his lands will be invaded whilst his forces are here, fighting in the West."

"So if he's still trying to get to us it'll be sneakily," Kagome reasoned.

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru inclined his head and stroked Kagome's shoulder comfortingly, "be wary of new faces."

"Perhaps we should move on to the brand Kagome wears," Nami proposed, gesturing to Kagome's neck with one painted claw.

Kagome rubbed the mark absently. "This thing? I hadn't really thought about it recently."

"You should," Nami cautioned, "without it you would be more able to protect yourself."

Kagome frowned, wracking her brain as she tried to remember what Sesshoumaru had once told her about it. "Can't it only be removed if the person who cast it removes it?"

"Or if they die," Sesshoumaru completed, cracking his knuckles ominously.

Nami smirked. "Under normal conditions, yes. But you've already proved to be more than a match for the impossible, little miko. Perhaps you could move the brand to someone else."

Kagome's brows flew to her hairline. "Huh?"

"Like Ryuukotsusei," Sesshoumaru elaborated.

Kagome rubbed her temple with one hand. "I don't even know how I moved it onto me. I just really wanted Sesshoumaru to wake up," she shrugged helplessly, "I didn't even notice."

"And it is possible that you no longer have the power to move the brand to someone else," Nami hypothesised, frowning pensively. "You were obviously a lot more powerful the first time you moved it."

"So we find the caster of the brand," Sesshoumaru surmised, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Which is easier said than done," Kagome reminded him, putting a hand over his and squeezing comfortingly. "You said they had no youki and no scent."

Nami blinked, looking a little annoyed at this latest information. "No scent?"

"None."

"Well then," she clapped her hands together, appearing happier now that she had a plan, "you should go to the Demon Slayers, if anyone has information on this type of demon, they will."

"Wait, wait," Kagome held out her hands as if stopping a particularly feisty puppy from charging her, "Demon Slayers? There are Demon Slayers in the Makai?"

Nami grinned. "Well, they were hardly likely to stay in the Ningenkai, were they? Their profession is extermination of pest yokai, living apart from yokai was unfeasible."

"So there are humans here?" Kagome asked, looking between mother and son eagerly.

Nami pursed her lips. "Over the centuries they inter-mated with demons," she explained. "They are mostly demonic now; I believe their current leader is a sixty-fourth human. But they boast the most human blood in the Makai... apart from you of course."

"What role do they perform now? I thought they killed demons to protect humans... but that seems a little bit of a moot point in the makai."

"They are mercenaries of a sort. They will kill off any demons for a price. But the name Demon Slayers sort of stuck," Nami smirked a little.

"It is worth visiting them," Sesshoumaru decided.

Kagome shot him a look. "Are you sure we want to leave here? We'd be surrounded by strangers."

Nami laughed at Kagome's expression. "They may be comprised of mostly demons now, but the Demon Slayers never forgot their pledge to protect humanity; you'll be well protected there as our only full human."

Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru and it was his turn to squeeze her hand reassuringly.

"Then I guess we're going."

* * *

"Whoa!" Kagome cried as Ah and Un tackled her, greeting her with enthusiastic head nuzzles and snuffles. "I missed you guys too!" she laughed, rubbing behind Ah's ears until his eyes crossed.

"They are relieved to see us," Sesshoumaru said as he gave Un a chin-tickle.

Kagome laughed as Ah and Un practically thumped their feet in pleasure. "Last time we saw them we were a little worse for wear."

"Hnn," Sesshoumaru acknowledged as he saddled the dragon and attached the saddlebags.

"We're going on an adventure!" she told the dragon enthusiastically as she helped Sesshoumaru fiddle with the saddlebags.

Smirking at Kagome's enthusiasm, Sesshoumaru plucked her from the ground by the back of her kimono and carefully lowered her onto Ah-Un's saddle. "Let's go," he told the dragon and took to the skies, Ah-Un following his master quickly.

"Where is the Demon Slayer's village?" Kagome asked as she clung to Un's mane and tightened her hold on the saddle with her thighs.

"To the south of my mother's lands," Sesshoumaru answered. "We will be there quite soon."

They flew for a while in companionable silence, Kagome tilting her head back and enjoying the wind rushing through her hair. She'd yet to get used to the casual flying that seemed to happen within this world and still felt a rush of glee when they took to the skies.

"There," Sesshoumaru said, pointing at a village nestled between a stream and a mountain in the distance. It was the first village Kagome had seen in the makai that boasted a wall around it for protection.

They landed just outside the main gates, which were opened slowly for them after Sesshoumaru provided his seal to the guard sat atop the wall.

Kagome stepped into the village, holding on to Ah-Un's reins tightly in one hand and Sesshoumaru's sleeve in the other. The street they stepped into was filled with busy people bustling to and fro and market stands with owners hawking their wares. Most were filled with vegetables and meat but some boasted impressive arrays of potions in exotic looking bottles and more still buckled under the weight of razor-sharp blades and finely crafted armour.

Noticing her attention lingered on a weapon's stand, Sesshoumaru commented, "Totosai's weapons sell well here, but most are made from the bones of the demons this village takes in battle."

Eyes flickering over the overwhelming amount of weapons, Kagome decided not to make an enemy of the Demon Slayers.

They continued to thread their way through the streets, Kagome watching the villagers unabashedly. They looked remarkably normal, no stripes or vibrant hair colours. The only thing that marked them as not entirely human were the gently pointed ears and claws that were markedly shorter than Sesshoumaru's. Normally, Kagome would feel awkward openly gawking everyone, but she could feel them all watching her and Sesshoumaru intently; they were all just being more subtle about it.

The village gently sloped upwards the further they walked, until it crested at a temple; the first temple Kagome had seen in the makai. The sight of the familiar Torii arch caused a pang of homesickness to race through her heart.

Sesshoumaru glanced at her. "Kagome?"

"I told you I grew up in a temple, right?" Kagome asked quietly.

Sesshoumaru had noticed the photo of her and her grandfather outside a shrine and had assumed from the older man's clothes that it had belonged to her family so he answered in the affirmative.

Kagome sighed gustily. "I'm just a little... homesick," she admitted.

Sesshoumaru clasped her hand within his, squeezing reassuringly. "When this is over, we will visit your home."

Kagome frowned, a crease appearing between her eyebrows. "Only when we're certain this is all over. As much as I miss my family I refuse to bring danger to their doorstep because of my own selfishness."

"Well said," a female voice cut in.

Their gazes jerked to the entranceway of the shrine where a woman leant against the doorframe, arms folded beneath her breasts. Clad in black leather and a coral coloured armour, the woman practically screamed danger even without the short sword tied to her hip. But her dangerousness was carefully disguised by her distracting beauty.

Her eyes were a warm hazel colour filled with intelligence and her dark brown hair was gathered into a tight, high, ponytail with a blunt fringe. Her body was strong yet feminine and her smile was warm.

"I'm Sango," she supplied, standing straight and walking slowly down the steps towards them. "the leader of the Taijiya."

"It is good to see you again," Sesshoumaru said, bowing his head slightly in recognition, "this is my intended Higurashi –"

"Kagome," Sango finished for him, eyes fixed on Kagome, "the human miko. Trust me, my entire village knows of her."

Kagome grinned, slanting a look at Sesshoumaru. "My reputation precedes me."

"Indeed," he drawled.

"Come inside," Sango offered, "Kohaku-kun, take their steed to the stables."

A shy looking teenager with a smattering of freckles across his nose, wearing the same uniform as Sango, took Ah-Un's reins from Kagome with a small smile.

Sango lead the couple through to a sitting room that overlooking part of the lake. As opposed to Nami's shiro, Sango's home was bare and simplistic.

"It's been a long time since we've had an actual priestess in the temple," Sango said as they all took a seat.

Kagome smiled a little. "It's been a while since I've been in a temple," she admitted.

Sango nodded, sitting forwards and looking at them both in turn. "Since you've come so far, I expect there's something you want?" she paused deliberately. "I heard you'd been having problems with a certain dragon lord."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "Your interest is appreciated, but we will deal with that dragon," he shrugged his stump indicatively, "we have a score to settle."

Sango nodded. "Then what do you need?"

Kagome sat forwards. "Is there a type of demon with no scent or aura?" she asked, cutting to the chase.

Sango arched a brow. "Doesn't sound familiar; it must be a rare species or a hybrid of some kind. In the morning I can take you to our vault to look at our scrolls, perhaps they'll be able to shed some light on things."

"We can't go now?" Kagome asked bemusedly. It wasn't exactly late in the day.

Sango smirked. "You'll see why when I show you the vault tomorrow. In the mean time, I'll show you around."

* * *

Nami sat back, sprawled across her porch with a cup of tea in one hand, her other elbow propping her up as one foot hung off the edge of the wood, the grass beneath tickling her toes.

The day had only just begun and the shiro was markedly quiet with Sesshoumaru and Kagome gone.

"Nami-sama," Jakotsu cheered as he and Kagura came across the reclining Western Lady.

"Jakotsu-chan, Kagura-san," Nami nodded in greeting, "are you still here?"

Jakotsu wailed in distress. "Nami-sama! You're so mean to me."

Nami flashed her fangs in a parody of a yawn. "I'm mean to everyone."

Kagura smirked slightly. "Are Kagome-chan and Sesshoumaru-san recovered?"

"Yes. They've gone on an adventure," Nami replied wanly.

Kagura frowned. "Huh?"

"They're looking for clues," Nami elaborated evasively, "as to who branded Sesshoumaru."

Kagura tensed even as Jakotsu put on a performance about being left behind when adventure was to be had. If they discovered who had branded Sesshoumaru...

"Kagura?" Nami called, interrupting Kagura's panic. "Are you still with us?"

Kagura forced a smile. "Of course."

* * *

A/N: Look who's made an appearance! I hope you enjoyed this update; I'd love to hear from you guys in a review.


	34. The Big Reveal

A/N: I appologise to all of you for the length of time between updates and I hope you can forgive me. I've had a hectic time recently but now that I have spare time I'm back to writing. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

"I imagine you walked through the market place to get here," Sango said as she led Kagome and Sesshoumaru through the temple and out into the carefully constructed grounds where more people wearing the uniform similar to Sango's were sparring. "This is our outdoor training area," she said and gestured to a range a little further away, "that's our archery range; we practise all kinds of long range weapons there."

Kagome grinned. "I'd like to visit," she admitted.

Sango smiled at the shorter woman. "Are you an archer?"

"Yep," Kagome answered chirpily, "I need a new bow, though, Asuka broke mine into firewood."

Sesshoumaru's expression darkened at the mention of Asuka's name and Sango quickly cut in, "You've come to the right place to replace it; we have some excellent bows here."

"Sounds like a plan," Kagome agreed with a shrug, "I just used an old bow I found in one of the shiro's storehouses before, it'd be nice to choose my own."

"This is my home," Sango gestured to the back rooms of the temple that had been purposely built to house the shrine keeper's family, "and this is where you will be sleeping." The room Sango indicated was at the furthest reaches of the temple, isolated from the other rooms.

They stepped out of the temple and Sango gestured to the stables near the mountain, "That is where we house our dragons and other flying beasts, and that," she gestured to a large fenced field right next to it, "is where we train them and the Taijiya who ride them to work in synchronicity."

"What's that?" Kagome asked, gesturing to further down the river where there were fierce rapids and a steady queue of Taijiya hoping across the rocks.

"Obstacle course," Sango answered lightly.

"Huh," Kagome muttered, wincing as one leather-clad individual missed his next stepping stone and did a somersault into the river. "More power to them."

* * *

Kagura paced her rooms in the Western shiro, waiting impatiently for _him_. He always knew when she needed to see him and enjoyed making her wait.

She stiffened when he stepped from the shadows of her room, bare feet against the tatami matting as he wandered into her room as if he owned the place.

"You called?" he asked, amusement dripping from his voice as he stared at her with blank red eyes.

"Sesshoumaru and Kagome have gone to the Taijiya's village," Kagura told him, wringing her hands before throwing them up in exasperation, "they're looking into what type of demon branded Sesshoumaru."

"I see," he murmured, running a hand through his wavy black tresses.

"You do?" she snapped impatiently, "If they find out what kind of demon has no scent and no aura, it's only a matter of time before they realise the connection to me. And then I'll be exposed."

"Tch," he grunted, "you worry too much. Simply travel to the Taijiya village yourself, tell them you were worried for their safety and then do as I told you."

Kagura grit her teeth.

He arched a brow. "Are you reneging on our agreement, Kagura?"

Burying her guilt and self-loathing, Kagura shook her head, her earrings whipping her cheeks. "No, Naraku," she spat his name as if it was a curse.

"Good," his tone dripped with condescension. And then he melted back into the shadows, leaving Kagura with her shame and heartache.

"Sorry, Kagome-chan."

* * *

"Yoo-hoo!" Jakotsu called as he threw open the door to Sango's dining hall. The assembled Taijiya looked up at the exuberant man simultaneously, hands already on their respective weapons.

Kagome choked on her tea. "Jakotsu-kun? What are you doing here?"

"We came to make sure that you're alright, silly," Jakotsu admonished, dragging Kagura into the room by her sleeve and waltzing up to Kagome as if he was immune to the death-stares the Taijiya were flinging his way.

"You didn't come to see us before you left," Kagura murmured, looking the pair over, "I see Nami's sweeping statement about the two of you being 'fine' was a bit of an overstatement."

Kagome's eyes darted to Sesshoumaru's empty sleeve before she squared her shoulders. "We're alive."

Kagura inclined her head and smiled wryly. "I'm glad."

"Any room at the table for us?" Jakotsu asked, blithely insinuating himself between two Taijiya as if he was meant to be there. To the nearest, he remarked, "I used to be human, you know, before Nami brought me back as... other."

And, like that, the tension was broken as Sango began to laugh, the rest of Taijiya joining her.

* * *

Wandering deeper into his lair, bypassing clouds of miasma, Naraku came to a stone table set within the middle of his cave on which lay various interesting artefacts, relics and weapons. But his ruby eyed gaze had been attracted by one thing in particular... the newest addition.

"How did you get here?" he asked bemusedly as he admired his latest oddity. Someone had delivered Sesshoumaru's severed arm to him, turning the limb over, his eyes narrowed.

It seemed his benefactor saw fit to assist him. It was just like a client to start sticking their nose in where it didn't belong, but, in this case, he had to admit the arm would be useful.

A small smirk played at his lips as he realised the full clout of this newest revelation; Kagura was not the only infiltrator in the Western shiro.

* * *

Leaving Kagome in Sango's capable hands, Sesshoumaru wandered out into the Taijiya's moonlit garden. The miko and the Taijiya got along like old friends and Sesshoumaru could tell she was comforted, being in the presence of someone a little more human than most in the makai.

Stopping at the edge of the river, Sesshoumaru gripped his stump, angered by the phantom pain he was experiencing. The loss of his arm weighed heavily on him and the curious gazes of the Taijiya were more than he was prepared to put up with. Especially seeing as he seemed to be suffering with his new impairment. He'd always been of the mindset that he was ruled by logic; he'd told himself that losing his arm was a necessary evil, but he was having a hard time dealing with it.

Justifying the loss had been relatively simple; he'd given an arm for Kagome and he had achieved his objective of keeping her safe. Yet, it was still an insult; yokai did not look kindly on the lame and damaged, as a species of predatory beings they tended to cast out and ostracise any they perceived to be weak.

Assuming that he was weak would – of course – be a deadly oversight but he rarely cared enough of what other people thought enough to dwell on such things. No, that wasn't bothering him. What bothered him was that, in essence, Ryuukotsusei had gained the upper hand in their battle.

Through his underhanded means and diversion tactics Ryuukotsusei had nearly killed them both. Sesshoumaru was unused to feeling so helpless; he'd always won every battle he'd fought. It angered him to think that Ryuukotsusei had caused this feeling within him. It had been the same when they were children; Ryuukotsusei had flaunted his advantage and strength, until Sesshoumaru had ended his pigheadedness.

He stared up at the moon pensively. It wouldn't matter for much longer; Ryuukotsusei would soon fall to his blade. Kagome would be safe and all the insult would be expunged.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome's shout brought him from his thoughts and he turned to watch her rush towards him across the grass.

Stopping at his side, she covered his hand with her own and leant her head against his shoulder. She didn't say another word, the sound of the rushing river thrumming in their ears. Sesshoumaru relaxed a little and held her hand, pulling her into a welcome embrace.

They stayed that way for a while, staring at the starlit sky. Each simply glad to be with the other.

* * *

Sipping her sake lackadaisically, Nami was also staring up at the night's sky. She was also with someone, but, unfortunately for her, he wasn't simply appreciating the silence of the night, instead he was filling the air with bad news.

"We couldn't find Sesshoumaru-sama's arm," Bankotsu finished, "and the only scents we could detect belong to our men."

Nami sighed a little.

"Maybe Ryuukotsusei took it with him," Bankotsu said, pacing in a small circle, "but why? What could he possibly want with a hand?"

Nami arched a brow. "I'm sure there are witches out there powerful enough to use it in a spell to control my son," she said.

Bankotsu ground to a halt and looked at Nami, eyes wide. "You think so?"

Nami shrugged. "It's what I would do."

The assassin ran an exasperated hand through his fringe. "Kinda creepy."

Her smile was full of razor sharp teeth.

* * *

"So," Kagome asked around a yawn as she followed Sango down the corridor. "why are we awake already?"

Sango laughed. "Because timing is essential if we want to enter the archives."

Sesshoumaru grabbed Kagome's arm as her sleepy feet threatened to trip her up.

"It's not even light out," Kagome pointed out in what she thought of as her most reasonable voice, "couldn't we reconvene in a few hours?"

"No," Sango laughed, "timing really is everything."

They trekked outside, heading towards the mountain that watched over the Taijiya village. Kagome trudged behind, Sesshoumaru almost towing Kagome by her hand as they followed Sango.

"Here," Sango said as they reached the bottom of the mountain.

Kagome blinked up at the mountain. "Here... what?"

"Wait for it..."

The first of the sun's rays hit the bottom of the mountain, just a few metres ahead of the group and Kagome squinted, turning her head slightly away as the light reflected dazzlingly, as if it hit a few hundred fragments of mirror.

Sango nudged the shorter woman with her elbow, "Don't miss the best part."

Holding up a hand to shield her eyes, Kagome turned back to the light spectacle in time to watch the glare shimmer away, revealing a large stone doorway carved into the mountain.

"A hidden door," Kagome stated the obvious.

"The only way to get into the archives is to wait until sunrise," Sango explained with a grin, "and getting out again is...complicated."

Sesshoumaru arched a brow at the deliberately evasive comment but Sango ignored him, striding forwards to the ancient looking door. Deliberately, she stroked her finger along one of the runes carved into the stone door, and the portal obediently opened.

"After you," Sango motioned.

Clapping her hands, Kagome rushed ahead, apparently much more awake now that there were secret archives to explore. Repressing the indulgent smile Kagome's actions triggered, Sesshoumaru followed more sedately after her.

The large doorway led to a stone staircase which spiralled downwards and the trio slowly descended into a giant stone chamber containing a labyrinth of bookshelves. Sesshoumaru had heard of the Taijya's archives before, but he'd never entertained the notion that they would be this extensive.

Kagome whistled under her breath as the extent of the archive became apparent; she almost couldn't see the end of the vast space. "This is amazing, Sango-chan!"

Sango grinned at the miko's enthusiasm, watching out of the corner of her eye as Sesshoumaru began to inspect some of the nearby scrolls.

"These are family trees," he commented.

Sango nodded. "We always make sure to check who we've been contracted to kill," she explained, "wouldn't want to accidentally kill someone important... or someone related to someone important."

Kagome wrinkled her nose. "How scrupulous."

"Bokensuou provides you with the records?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Of course," Sango said, shrugging, "there's no one else in the makai with that kind of knowledge about all of the demonic lines."

"Bokensuou?"

"A demonic tree," Sesshoumaru answered, "more powerful and ancient than any other demon alive in the makai."

"A tree who compiles family trees?" Kagome hummed, "That's hilarious."

Sango gave a wry chuckle and steered the pair towards one section of the archive. "These are our records on the more obscure and rare types of demon," she said, "and since our demon is obviously not very common I think we should start here."

"Huh," Kagome muttered, not paying a great deal of attention as her gaze was drawn to a display case in the corner of the cavernous space. She wandered over to get a better look. "What's all this?"

"Artefacts from the Taijiya's history," Sango said, walking to stand beside the curious human, "that sword belonged to the first man to ever kill a demon without the use of spiritual powers. The founder of our village, Mitsuru Tskuione."

The sword in question was a rather plain looking katana with a braided handle and a battle worn edge, but Kagome could sense the power radiating from it as she ran her fingers over the brass name plate beneath the mounted weapon. But it was another weapon which had drawn her attention.

"What about the bow?" she asked, staring up at it as if enthralled. Looking at the bow, Kagome almost felt that she'd found something that she'd been missing for a long time. It was an absurd feeling of course, because she'd never seen such a fine bow before, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it belonged to her.

A slow smile spread over Sango's face as she glimpsed the focus of Kagome's attention. "That was the bow the miko Midoriko used to slay Ryuukotsusei."

Raising her hand like a school child., Kagome interjected, "Ryuukotsusei is alive... in fact just recently he tried to kill us."

Sesshoumaru, who had been watching Kagome's reaction with interest, walked up to the two females and ran his hand through Kagome's hair. "Ryuukotsusei is a family name, it was the name of our problem's father," Sesshoumaru informed her before turning to Sango, "So this is the bow that felled him?"

Sango nodded and Kagome's eyebrows shot to her hairline before she smirked at Sesshoumaru. "Well, then, I say we use it to start a tradition," she turned to Sango, "could you be persuaded to part with it?"

Jerking back in shock, Sango stared at Kagome intently for a moment before flinging a curious look in Sesshoumaru's direction. "It's not for sale but... I think maybe it was meant for you."

Kagome nodded, she could feel the bow calling to her.

"Midoriko's bow is powerful," Sango warned, "but considering that Sesshoumaru's father put his fang into it, that's to be expected."

"What?" Kagome asked, glancing at Sesshoumaru, whose placid face almost concealed his surprise.

"See here and here," Sango traced two ornate swirls in either end of the bow with her littlest finger. "You can see the opalescence of the fang. It makes the bow completely indestructible." She smiled indulgently at Kagome's dazzled expression, "Normally I'd never give an artefact this powerful away but..." she glanced between the couple, "I get a feeling it's the right thing to do."

Kagome's fingers had been inching closer to the bow since the beginning of the conversation and she took Sango at her word and wrapped her hands around the polished wood. The bow warmed under her touch as if greeting her and a small breeze ran through the archive, tousling her dark hair.

Sango smiled, "Well, I guess that settles it."

Kagome smiled from ear to ear, looking at Sesshoumaru happily. "I guess it was meant to be."

Sesshoumaru's eyes softened slightly. "Indeed," he replied, the intensity of his stare causing the miko to blush. She wanted to drop her gaze from the intensity of his stare, but found herself unable to break the trance they seemed to be in.

Sango harrumphed and clapped her hands, "Come on lovebirds; let's start trawling through these records."

Blushing brightly, Kagome turned to Sango. "Thanks again for all your help, Sango-chan."

Sango patted Kagome's shoulder, cautious of her strength around the full human. "Trust me when I say that it's our pleasure."

* * *

Kagura wandered into the slayer's kitchen and, peering over the top of her fan, she spied Kohaku diligently cleaning up.

"What a hard worker," she praised, smirking as the young boy blushed at her compliment. "Where is everyone?" she asked, glancing around the space disinterestedly.

Kohaku put the scrubbing brush into his pail and stood, wiping the faint sheen of sweat from his brow. "Jakotsu-san is still asleep, but Anue took Sesshoumaru-sama and Kagome-sama to see the archive."

Kagura felt her heart skip a beat but her face remained placid. "Really? I guess I'll catch up with them then. Surely another pair of eyes will help their search."

Kohaku emptied the pail of water and shook his head. "The only way to access the archive is at sunrise," he said.

Kagura frowned. "There's no emergency exit?"

"It is simple to leave but impossible to enter," Kohaku murmured, the words sounding like a rote he'd memorised. "To leave you simply have to wish it."

"Sounds foolproof," Kagura commented, eyes alight as her mind spun over this new conundrum. "But surely there's another way in... there has to be a failsafe."

Kohaku frowned, studying the wind witch intently as a feeling of unease settled into his bones. His sister had always warned him to heed his instincts. "Be that as it may, Kagura-san, it really isn't something we would share with outsiders."

Kagura's head jerked up and she locked the young taijiya in her stare. Kohaku's polite smile had faded and his hand was inching for his kusarigama. "So there is a way."

As if her words were a signal the teen had been waiting for, he moved. The kusarigama was brought up in a deadly arc that should have taken Kagura's head from her shoulders. Unfortunately for Kohaku, she was faster.

The taijiya jerked as he felt her fan touch the vulnerable skin of his neck, her arm wrapped around him as she pressed her front to his back. Leaning down a little, she whispered in his ear, "Nice try, but I am the wind; airborne weapons are useless against me."

She felt him tense and tutted, "No you don't," she cautioned. His movement had caused the sharp blades of her fan to draw a thin line of blood from his neck. "Fight me now and I won't just kill you, I'll kill each and every taijiya until I find a way into that mountain." Taking a steadying breath, she quietly completed her threat. "And then I'll kill your sister."

The kusarigama fell with a clatter to the floor and his shoulders slumped. "Fine." The word was ground out through clenched teeth and she could feel the loathing emanating from his pores. She steeled herself against his hatred; she knew that to him, she was the villain and she had to play the role to perfection. It was a matter of life and death.

"Take me into the archives."

* * *

Surrounded by stacks of books, Kagome sighed heavily. Her eyes felt gritty and her eyelids heavy and she was having a hard time focusing. "I've got a demon who can perfectly replicate someone else's aura," she said, "but I can't find a demon without an aura."

"Don't give up," Sango said, pulling another book from the pile and flipping through it. "We'll find it eventually."

"Hnn..." Sesshoumaru murmured, "I believe I already have."

"What!" Kagome jumped up from her seiza and then nearly fell over; sitting in one position for hours had made her legs fall asleep. Sesshoumaru caught her deftly and brought her to sit by his side as he read aloud, "A Mu demon is a rare breed of demon born with no aura and no discernible scent. A pale demon, they possess a white pelt and pale skin with dark eyes. They are not affiliated to any house and tend to breed with other demons, their offspring taking on the characteristics of their other parent. As such there have been no documented cases of Mu yokai being born from parents who were also Mu yokai."

"Then where do they come from?" Kagome asked, glancing at Sango who appeared to be deep in thought.

Sesshoumaru flicked her nose for interrupting and continued, "Mu yokai are born on the blood moon to families of hybrid parentage."

"That's really weird," Kagome murmured, "they sound magical."

"They are demons," Sesshoumaru deadpanned.

Kagome punched his shoulder and hid her wince as she bruised her own knuckles. "Yeah, but those are weird conditions, right?"

Conceding the fact, Sesshoumaru inclined his head and glanced at Sango, who was riffling through scrolls sprawled over the table.

"Sango-chan?"Kagome ventured, standing along with Sesshoumaru and moving to the slayer's side.

"I know of a family with a Mu yokai in it," Sango murmured, "I just didn't know about the lack of aura and scent." She finally found the scroll she was looking for and spread it across the desk, "Here... the Mu yokai is named Kanna."

Sesshoumaru snarled and, grabbing Kagome, he pulled her to his chest. A baffled miko peered out from his embrace at Sango. "Sango-chan?"

Sango's brown eyes were full of anxiety as she met Kagome's concerned stare. "Kanna is Kagura's sister."

Silence permeated the cavernous space for a long moment and Kagome shook her head hard, her hair whipping her cheeks. "No," she uttered and the sound was small and devastated in the vast space.

"Yes."

Kagura stood at the wall of the cave, her ruby red eyes flat and uncaring as she met Kagome's tearful stare. Kagome felt her stomach drop as she looked at Kagura's hostage; Kohaku was bleeding a little from a cut on his neck and staring at his sister regretfully.

Kagome looked right back at Kagura, feeling the growl build in Sesshoumaru's chest and reverberate through her body. Her first reaction had been to think that it must all be a misunderstanding, but there was no mistaking the hard determination in the wind witch's stance.

Taking a deep breath, she shrugged out of Sesshoumaru's hold, feeling him go for his sword as soon as she stepped from his embrace.

Holding her arms out, she took one step closer to her friend.

"It's me you want, right?"

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed and I promise that the next chapter will not take as long!


	35. Trust Issues

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

"It's me you want, right?"

Sesshoumaru's snarl ripped through the archives, deadly and primal. Kagome had never thought of a sound having a physical presence before, but this snarl certainly seemed to. Kagura drew her spine straight and braced herself for battle, Kohaku shuddered, Sango flinched... but to Kagome it felt like being wrapped up in safety. She was greatful; she was going to need a little fearlessness to do this.

"Kagura," Kagome called, bringing the wind witch's attention back to her, "are you going to kill me?"

Kagura flinched a little before she masked it under a facade of apathy. She couldn't let Kagome get to her, if she did then it would all be over. "Come here, Kagome, or I'll kill this kid."

Sango's faced darkened and Kagome took the way the taijiya palmed her blade to bode ill for Kagura. Wondering if she might regret it, she took a half step in front of the enraged slayer.

"Kanna is your sister's name?" Kagome asked, tilting her head to one side.

Kagura smiled a little humourlessly. "Don't try to understand me, miko, it's not going to work."

Kagome continued as if Kagura hadn't spoken, "You're doing this for her, right?"

Kagura snarled a little, her red eyes glowing. "I'm a demon; I don't need a reason to kill. We do it for fun, little miko." She jerked Kohaku in her hold, "I'd slit his throat for fun... if I didn't want to see you bleed far more."

Kagome straightened her spine and grabbed the empty sleeve of Sesshoumaru's kimono as he took a deadly step forwards. "That's nice. But you could have killed me a hundred times before now. The reason you're doing this is for Kanna. But you don't have to; we won't hurt your sister."

Kagura glanced away from Kagome's earnest expression, a lump in her throat. "I'm not worried about what you'll do to her," she muttered.

Kagome's eyes widened and she turned her head slightly to Sesshoumaru, "Trust me," she whispered.

Sesshoumaru's eyes had begun to bleed red around the iris but he jerked back at her request and watched with curious predatory intent as she walked towards the wind witch. He would let her have her way for now, but if the wind witch harmed one hair on Kagome's head, he was going to rip out her heart.

"A trade then," Kagome said, "me for Kohaku."

Sesshoumaru could not stop the bone chilling growl from escaping his lips at Kagome's words, but he locked his muscles down and allowed Kagome to see her ploy through. As unlikely as it might have been at one point in his life, he trusted the hard-headed human. But he had to admit that it was far easier to trust her with his life than it was to trust her with her own. He wasn't entirely sure how that one worked, but he was certain it had everything to do with Kagome's contrary personality.

Kagura's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"He's Sango's little brother," Kagome said, voice strong and eyes kind, "and I'd bet she'd do anything for him, just like you'd do anything for Kanna."

"You're willing to die for some kid you don't know?" Kagura asked as Kagome continued to inch closer.

"You aren't going to kill me," Kagome said confidently, "You're my friend."

Kagura barked out a laugh. "After all this, you still consider me your friend? Are you really that naive?"

Kagome reached the wind witch and shrugged. "You say naive... I prefer to call it loyal."

In a seamless movement, Kagura threw Kohaku from her grasp and slammed Kagome into a bookshelf, her fan against the human's throat.

"You trust to easily," Kagura accused, red eyes narrowed dangerously. Sesshoumaru's growl, which had been providing a nice low background ambiance for the confrontation, increased in volume and Kagura could see the big demon prowling slowly forwards, murder in his red eyes.

"You need to learn to trust more," Kagome countered, pressing a hand against the bow string over her shoulder. In this position, her bow was digging into her right shoulder blade. She shot a look at Sesshoumaru, making it clear she was also talking to her mate and he paused in his prowling, looking a little confused. Steeling herself, Kagome turned back to her friend."Who has your sister, Kagura?"

The wind witch's eyes grew wide and panicked, the fan fluttered at Kagome's neck and the miko said a prayer of thanks that it did not spill her blood; she doubted Sesshoumaru would have allowed her to see this one through if she shed a drop of blood. "No one," Kagura hissed dangerously.

"They're holding her hostage so that you'd spy on us... so that you'd kill me," Kagome guessed, and, judging by the horror on Kagura's face, she'd hit the nail on the head.

"If I don't kill you, she's dead," Kagura muttered, eyes flat. "I'm sorry."

Kagome grabbed both of Kagura's wrists tightly. "Me too."

The glow started in Kagome's hands and Kagura watched in wonder as it spread up her arms. She met the miko's eyes and smiled a little sadly. "Look after my sister."

The light grew and grew, swelling rapidly until the two women were engulfed in a pillar of light. Sango covered her eyes and shielded Kohaku from the dazzling reiyouku with her body, but Sesshoumaru just watched the light calmly, his own youki responding to his mate's display of power. He was marginally surprised to find his dark power didn't attempt to extinguish Kagome's light, but instead reached out to stroke it.

The light finally died down and Kagome kept her grip on Kagura's hands as the wind-witch slumped onto her knees on the floor. Her fan clattered to one side, forgotten. Bewildered, Kagura looked up at Kagome, who smiled at her.

"I'm alive?"

"I would never kill a friend," Kagome answered with a little shrug. "So I stopped you," she tapped the side of her neck demonstratively, "What's mine is now yours."

Kagura's hand shot to her neck and she felt the brand pulse at the back of her neck. "You bound me... fully."

"Technically," Kagome corrected, "Kanna is the one binding your power and... yeah I corrected the brand. I figured this way Sesshoumaru wouldn't be able to kill you."

Kagura tilted her head to one side. "You figured rendering me weak as a newborn kitten would make Sesshoumaru unable to kill me?" she asked incredulously.

"Well, if you were still a threat I doubt anything I said wouldn't stop him from killing you. But now you're harmless."

Sesshoumaru was suddenly at Kagome's back, his arm around her waist as he tucked her under his chin. "Never attempt such a stunt again," he warned the little human who was suddenly brimming with power again; she practically vibrated with untapped potential.

She turned her head to kiss his chin and patted his hand. "I couldn't let you kill her, Sesshoumaru." He merely arched a brow at her and she stubbornly added, "I won't let you kill her for trying to protect her sister."

Sango stood up and glared at the witch. "She was going to kill my brother," she said, her voice hard, "I am well within my rights to demand a blood payment."

"But you won't," Kagome interjected beseechingly, "she was just protecting her family. I doubt there is anything you wouldn't do to protect Kohaku."

Sango glanced at her brother and her gaze softened marginally. "Fine," she relented, "but just get her out of my village."

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief at turned her head to look up at Sesshoumaru. "And all that before lunch."

* * *

"I am not riding on Ah-Un with that traitor!" Jakotsu wailed, pointing an accusatory finger at Kagura. Kagura rolled her eyes and folded her arms beneath her breasts; Jakotsu had always been a drama queen.

Kagome sighed a little. Jakotsu had taken the news of Kagura's deception hard and she could tell he was hurt at being used and betrayed. She couldn't blame him; she was feeling both of those things immensely, but she was dealing with it. Jakotsu, on the other hand, didn't seem to feel he had to deal with it.

The pair of them had arrived at the slayer's village on one of Kagura's feathers, but now that her powers were bound, the wind witch couldn't fly back to Nami's shiro in the same manner.

Sesshoumaru interceded in Jakotsu's tantrum before Kagome could with a growled, "You will ride on the dragon because I refuse to carry you."

Jakotsu batted his eyes at Sesshoumaru. "Aw... come on Sesshoumaru-chan, carry me!"

And if Jakotsu had been a moment slower, Sesshoumaru's poison claws would probably have melted his face off.

* * *

Observing the motley crew gathered in her pavilion, Nami wondered how this had transpired. They'd gone to the archives to dig up records; it should have been the most banal expedition of a lifetime. Instead, her daughter in law had returned brimming with power and toting a new bow, Kagura's power was completely sealed and she'd been found out as a traitor, Jakotsu was having the biggest tantrum she'd ever seen and Sesshoumaru... well, her son seemed as dispassionate as ever.

Nami hid her smile behind her fan; life had become infinitely more interesting since Kagome's arrival. "So..." she said, cutting through Jakotsu's ranting, "why is she still alive?" she flicked her gaze over to Kagura.

"Precisely," Sesshoumaru muttered.

Kagome threw her hands up into the air, apparently completely and utterly exasperated with this particular line of conversation. "That's all you're lingering on? Someone is holding her sister hostage!"

Nami blinked languidly. "You are referring to the same sister who branded my son?" she asked haughtily. "Why do you insist on protecting her?" Kagome had always been Sesshoumaru's most valiant protector in all of their other confrontations; it was strange to see her defend a woman who'd intended to kill her.

"Yes, why are you protecting me?" Kagura asked, sounding incredibly baffled.

Kagome turned on Kagura, anger making her faintly glow as her power responded to her emotional turmoil. "Because I don't want you to die. Because you're my friend... because you were struggling through your sister being kidnapped all by yourself and you felt you couldn't trust me."

Kagome's anger had deflated to be replaced with sadness as she stared at the wind witch. Kagura glanced away and sighed, "It doesn't matter now, he'll know I failed and Kanna is as good as dead."

"Well, that's just stupid," Kagome retorted.

"Indeed," Nami murmured, inclining her head towards Kagome, "from what I can gather, your sister is the perfect assassin; this man who took her has no reason to kill her. She is still useful."

Kagura's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah," Kagome said with a shrug, "I mean, it's already been proven that she can infiltrate Sesshoumaru's shiro and that should be impossible."

Kagura hung her head. "Then I betrayed you for no reason," she whispered, sounding devastated. Kagome shrugged and looked away from the downcast wind witch, grateful for Sesshoumaru's hand closing around hers in a reassuring squeeze.

"Why is Kanna working for this... Naraku?" Nami asked, her voice dripping with disdain as she uttered the name of their adversary.

"He has bound her emotions," Kagura muttered, attempting to shake off her guilt. "She has no will of her own. You have to actively care about what you're doing in order to stop doing it." She touched the mark at the back of her neck, "I'd rather be bound like this for the rest of my life... essentially powerless than spend a day like that."

"He made her into a puppet," Jakotsu said, looking a little forlorn. His temper appeared to have cooled off somewhat. "I'm sorry, Kagura."

"No," Kagura shook her head, her long earrings whipping at her cheeks, "I am the one who is sorry." She stared resolutely at Kagome when she spoke.

The miko met her gaze and sighed. "I'm not sure I can ever forget that you tried to kill me," Kagome said, shrugging, "but I don't blame you."

"So what are we doing with our little traitor?" Nami asked lackadaisically, cutting the tension casually.

Kagome frowned at the disinterested demoness but Sesshoumaru intervened, "She can stay in one of your rooms, mother. Bankotsu can watch her."

Nami arched a brow. "She can, can she?"

"Mother," Sesshoumaru ground out, exasperation leeching into his tone.

"Fine," Nami sighed, making sure to sound appropriately put upon, as if she was moving mountains instead of merely allowing Kagura a room.

"We are leaving," Sesshoumaru announced, slipping his arm around Kagome's waist as she looked up at him in surprise. "If you value your lives you will leave us alone for the rest of today."

Nami chuckled and waved her hand at them, "By all means, go."

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome exclaimed as he caually upended her over his shoulder and strode from the room, "We have to figure out where Naraku is keeping Kanna and—"

The door slid closed behind the couple, but they could still here the smack as Sesshoumaru's palm connected with her buttocks resulting in Kagome emitting a sound that was somewhere between a yelp and a screech.

"Our problems will still be here tomorrow," he told her calmly.

Nami rolled her eyes and sighed. "Sometimes that child is so precocious."

"Just like his mother," Jakotsu needled.

* * *

As soon as they landed in Sesshoumaru's shiro, he abruptly dropped Kagome from his shoulder, causing her to have to struggle to keep standing, she rounded on him angrily.

"Will you stop manhandling me?"

"I am a demon, not a man."

"Then stop demon-handling me!"

Sesshoumaru took a slow step forwards and Kagome took a hasty step backwards in retaliation. "I restrained myself earlier, when you asked me to trust you. Now, no such condition exists."

Kagome tilted her head to one side in confusion, taking yet another step backwards as Sesshoumaru advanced on her again. It wasn't that she was afraid; it was more the primal glow that was lighting up Sesshoumaru's eyes made her... edgy. "Huh?"

"I am done restraining myself, Kagome," Sesshoumaru warned, still prowling forwards, "I stood by and watched you deliberately put yourself in harm's way." He gestured at Kagome's bow which a helpful someone – probably Jaken – had brought into the shiro. "If you hadn't been channelling your powers through the bow, you might not have been able to subdue Kagura."

Kagome looked at her bow in wonder. "So that's how I did it," she mused.

Sesshoumaru's irate growl cracked through the shiro like a whip. "I restrained myself when you asked me to trust you," he reiterated, "and now I refuse to restrain myself."

He took another deliberate step forwards and yet again she retreated. Sesshoumaru smiled, revealing his fangs. "Do not run, Kagome."

Something about the way his voice caressed those words made a shiver run down Kagome's spine. She wasn't afraid, but she recognised what Sesshoumaru was doing; he was letting off a little steam. So, with a laugh, she turned on her heel and fled through the shiro and Sesshoumaru's low growl chased after her.

Sesshoumaru watched Kagome run away from him, his smirk widening dangerously. He cracked his neck deliberately and slowly stalked after her, making sure to prowl slowly in order to draw out the chase.

Giggling like a lunatic, Kagome slid around the corner, her tabi making her lose traction against the polished wooden floors of the corridor. Sesshoumaru still had his boots on, making his tread heavy and ominous on the hardwood floor and, given how quietly he normally moved, Kagome knew he was doing it for effect.

Dodging his outstretched arm as his finger tips brushed at her hair, she tumbled into a room with an open door and leapt across the interior, aiming for the door on the other side of the room. She yanked that door open and sprinted into the next corridor before hastily making a right.

In her haste, she nearly trod on Jaken, who had probably come to investigate the ruckus but quickly she leapt over the startled kappa and ran off again. She could hear him ranting about crazed humans as she left him in her wake.

Ducking around another corner, she squealed as Sesshoumaru appeared in front of her, eyes haloed in red. Unwilling to be caught, she threw herself at him in an attempt to knock him off his feet. Unfortunately, she'd forgotten Sesshoumaru was built like a brick wall and she merely stuck to his tall frame, her legs locking around his waist as she came face to face with her pursuer.

"Well," she drawled, "hi there!"

Sesshoumaru arched a brow. "This is the first time that my prey has ever deliberately leapt into my clutches."

Kagome threw back her head and laughed before leaping away from him, eyes sparkling. "This time, you catch me before I catch you."

With that, Kagome darted off back around the corner and leapfrogged over Jaken, who was still picking himself up, and made a mad dash for the east wing of the shiro. Grinning demonically, Sesshoumaru followed after, calmly kicking the kappa from his path as he prowled after the sound of the miko's playful laughter.

He followed her closely, watching as she erratically ducked into rooms and leapt over tables in her quest to escape. Eventually, he cornered her in their private rooms and she slammed the door shut in his face desperately. Chuckling darkly, he yanked the door open, attempted to enter the room and rebounded off of a glowing barrier of Kagome's reiki.

Kagome, who'd hidden under the covers of their bed, peered out at him incredulously. "What the hell is that?"

"It is your doing," Sesshoumaru said, amusement leaking into his tone. "You appear to have erected a barrier."

She clambered out of the futon, nearly tripping over her own feet as she cautiously inched closer. "I did that?" she reached out to touch it curiously.

"It appears that you really wanted to win," he noted, watching as Kagome touching the glowing barrier and it quietly fizzled out of existence.

"It's gone!"

Without hesitating, Sesshoumaru rushed Kagome and with a startled squeak they both fell back onto the futon in a tangle of limbs. Kagome sprawled across Sesshoumaru's chest, picked herself up a little so she could look into his eyes.

"Got that all out of your system now, Kujo?"

Sesshoumaru arched a brow. "I don't know who this Kujo is but I am more relaxed, yes."

"Me too," Kagome beamed at him and laid her head back down on his chest, her right ear resting over his heart.

They lay like that for a long while, darkness slowly and steadily creeping into the room. The only sounds were their even breathing and their heartbeats. Sesshoumaru was almost convinced that Kagome had fallen asleep when she quietly spoke into the dusk.

"I've never had a friend try to kill me before."

Sesshoumaru stroked his hand through her hair, battling with the urge to rip Kagura's head off for putting the melancholy in his miko's voice.

"Nor have I," he muttered, "but then... I don't have any friends." The last was said very blandly and apathetically; it was obvious Sesshoumaru didn't mind his solitude.

"She thought I was going to kill her," Kagome said, "and she was okay with that."

"Kagura didn't want to kill you," he reminded her, still running his fingers through her silky hair.

"Yeah," Kagome whispered, "I know. But still... I feel more vulnerable right now than I ever have before."

Sesshoumaru rolled, pulling Kagome with him until he was essentially wrapped around her. "You, Kagome, are always protecting me... and though that seems rather strange, I accept it. Now you need to accept that I am going to protect you and that includes protecting you from vulnerability."

Kagome laughed a little and snuggled further into his embrace. "I don't think I've ever heard anything so asinine."

"Hush," he murmured, pressing his face into her hair.

"'Kay," she murmured.

* * *

Miroku sat bolt upright like he'd been electrocuted, sending Kouga, who'd been calmly solving a crossword up until that point, sailing up into the air in shock.

"What?" the wolf demanded, irate at this newest idiosyncrasy from the strange man.

"I felt Kagome," Miroku muttered, rubbing his temples.

"What?" Kouga was immediately in his face, "Is she okay?"

"There was a spike in her reiyouku," Miroku answered, "she's back to her full potential."

"That's good right?" Kouga demanded.

Miroku shrugged. "It means she's better able to protect herself..." he acknowledged, and then he sighed, "but it also means she's a bigger, more formidable target."

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'd love to hear from you in a review, if you have a moment to spare.


	36. New Prospects

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Kouga stepped in front of his front door, folded his arms across his chest and bared a fang at Miroku as the monk attempted to slide past him.

"Where the hell are you going?"

"I need to go," Miroku murmured, appearing very distracted.

Kouga let out a little snarl of frustration. Since Kagome had gone missing, the monk had camped out in his house and now, all of a sudden, he needed to go? Something was incredibly fishy.

"Why?"

Miroku looked up at Kouga as if he'd only just realised that the wolf was even in the room. "I need to talk to... a higher power."

"What?" Kouga barked as the slippery monk quickly ducked out of the apartment. "Where the hell are you going? Miroku!"

"Stay here," Miroku called back, marching down the street without once glancing back at the werewolf. "I'll be back soon."

Miroku ignored the wolf as he continued to cuss at him, instead concentrating on making his way through the busy streets as quickly as was possible. Slaloming through crowds, he soon found himself at the bakery that Kagome had once worked at and let himself in through the side entrance. The kitchen smelt fantastic but Miroku was more concerned by his quest.

Aiko glanced up at him, up to her elbows in flour. "Miroku-san?"

"Where is he?"

Hojo stuck his head around the corner curiously. "Miroku-san?"

Miroku sketched a small respectful bow. "Kami-sama."

Hojo waved a dismissive hand at the monk, causing a small plume of flour to drift into the air. "We're in the bakery, not the temple. Here you must call me Hojo."

Miroku nodded. "Hojo-san, it's about Kagome; she's... regained her powers."

"Then she can come home," Hojo nodded, "if she needs to, of course."

"We just need to provide her with a door," Aiko said distantly, her gaze flat as she stared at something that Miroku couldn't see.

Hojo gazed off into the distance thoughtfully. "The shrine would be a good place."

"You aren't going to drag her back?" Miroku asked curiously.

"No," Hojo shook his head and smiled, his human facade fell away for a moment and Miroku dropped his gaze to the floor, unable to stare directly into the Land God's eyes. Miroku was very comfortable with his status as a monk of considerable strength but, sharing a room with a god and his Komainu, he felt very small.

"There is always a choice." Hojo continued, his voice hollow, "She chose to follow Sesshoumaru-san and now, with a little of my help, she can choose to come back."

* * *

Staring resolutely out into Nami's gardens, Kagura attempted to ignore the hostile stare that she could feel boring through the back of her head. Nami had taken Sesshoumaru at his word and had assigned Bankotsu to watch over her. But, ever since the assassin had heard of her deceit, he'd stewed in his anger and simply watched her. Kagura half wished he'd rant and threaten and scream; it would be a refreshing change from all the angry staring.

Finally, the wind-witch snapped and rounded on the assassin, hands on her hips. "What? If you have something to say then just say it!"

Bankotsu arched one eyebrow, his arms folded over his broad chest. "I have nothing to say to you," he said calmly.

Throwing her hands into the air, Kagura turned back to the tranquil gardens and sighed. She'd not been prepared for this. Not at all. When she'd set out to kill Kagome she'd never really expected to be able to do it; she'd known she would try, for her sister, but she'd known it was a suicide mission. Even if she had managed to kill her friend, Sesshoumaru would have killed her in retaliation in a heartbeat.

She hadn't planned to be hated like this.

The door to Kagura's new prison slid open to reveal Aine, smiling serenely. "Traitor-chan, Nami-sama requests your presence in the pavilion," she said.

"Don't call me that!" Kagura snapped tersely.

Aine smiled benevolently. "Nami-sama ordered all of the staff to call you by your new name, Traitor-chan. The matter is out of my hands."

Kagura threw her hands up into the air. "Of course she did," she grouched.

* * *

"How unfortunate," Naraku murmured as he gazed into the mirror. "Your sister failed me and got captured..." he glanced down at Kanna's flat expression, "You just can't coerce good help these days."

"Then she's mine," the purple haired woman snarled. "Your girl's incompetence suits me just fine."

Naraku glanced at his newest 'ally'. Her anger was, he supposed, perfectly understandable; her brother had died at Sesshoumaru's hands. Using her would be his pleasure, but her rage made her a little unpredictable. She could end up throwing a spanner in the works.

"You understand that her power has increased?" Naraku cautioned, "You will need to be very vigilant."

"Yes, yes," she waved a dismissive hand at him, pacing agitatedly, "But Ryuukotsusei has no idea... maybe she'll do us both a favour and kill him."

Naraku smirked. "Such loyalty to your master."

"He got my brother killed!" she snarled, "As far as I'm concerned Asuka's death rests just as much at his feet as it does Sesshoumaru's."

Naraku shook his head and wandered away, bypassing Kanna as he made his way to his newest creation. He held the dagger in his hand for a moment, weighing it in his palm before he gave it to his guest.

"A dagger?" Her lip curled in disgust.

"Not just any dagger," Naraku shook his finger at her, "a dagger designed for the express purpose of killing a miko."

"Perfect."

* * *

Kagome looked up as Kagura entered the pavilion; her hair escaping from its usually coiffed topknot and Bankotsu followed her closely like a bad tempered shadow. Sesshoumaru couldn't restrain the sadistic smirk at Kagura's expense; she'd nearly succeeded in taking away his most precious thing and he felt vindicated in enjoying her misfortune.

"Ah, Traitor-chan," Nami crowed, clapping her hands together, "I trust my Bankotsu kept you from becoming lonely."

"Nothing like being followed by a guard dog that hates your guts," Kagura retorted, flinging herself into a grumpy seiza.

"Nami!" Kagome said, tapping a finger on the table, "will you stop calling Kagura-chan names?"

"Nope," Nami announced gleefully, pressing a painted talon to her chest, she proclaimed, "I'm still the Lady of the West and until you are, little human, I get to call the traitor a traitor."

Kagome threw her hands up into the air impotently. As much as she wanted to make Nami back off, it was like tearing a dog away from a bone. Shaking off the giggle bubbling in her belly at that thought, Kagome turned to the wind witch. "We need to know everything that you know about Naraku."

Kagura sighed and shrugged a little hopelessly. "He was very elusive, Kagome, I don't really know much about him."

"Is he in cahoots with Ryuukotsusei?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Kagura shook her head, sending her earrings jangling. "No, he knows of him and he is aware of your... history, but he had yet to offer an alliance with the dragon." She frowned and pursed her lips. "But now that I am useless, he may offer his aid to Ryuukotsusei... to further his own ends."

"Do you know why Naraku is targeting Sesshoumaru?" Kagome leant forwards anxiously.

Bankotsu interjected seriously. "This is a demonic dispute, Kagome. Despite the facade of respectability, in the end we are primal creatures and most often, demons kill because they can."

Nami bared her fangs in a sinister parody of a grin. "And we're very proficient at it," she laughed, "besides, what else is there to do for entertainment except mock and murder?"

Rolling her eyes at Nami's antics, Kagome turned to Bankotsu. "Humans are primal too, Bankotsu... but maybe you've forgotten. Even if demons are prepossessed to kill at the drop of a hat, this isn't a simple assassination. Naraku sent Kanna in to bind Sesshoumaru's power; why not just kill him?"

"An excellent question," Nami purred, flicking a glance at Kagura, "Any thoughts, Traitor-chan?"

"And," Kagome half-shouted, cutting off whatever scathing remark Kagura had been about to make, "Why then did he aid and abet Abi-hime? She wasn't intending to kill Sesshoumaru, just me. And Kagura's mission to kill me was obviously a suicide mission..."

"Naraku wishes for me to suffer," Sesshoumaru surmised. "He wants me powerless and unable to protect my mate."

"Psychological torture," Bankotsu deduced.

"So they really hate you," Kagura muttered, frowning at Sesshoumaru.

"Or they _really_ love him," Nami said with an elegant shrug, "you'd be surprised the lengths people would go to for their misguided love."

Kagome arched an eyebrow. "Would I?"

Nami tittered. "Well, from one attempt at psychological torture to the next..."

Startled, Kagome's eyes grew wide. "What? What now?"

"The mark has been placed, tradition must be fulfilled," Nami said, "so much has transpired since my son marked you, daughter, that I must spring this upon you."

"You enjoy doing this to me, don't you?" Kagome snarled as Nami's smirk simply grew more shark-like. "What are you talking about?"

"When the Mating Mark is placed, there is traditionally a celebration," Sesshoumaru explained, "Because I am the air to the West, there is slightly more pomp involved; dignitaries from clans in the North, South and East will come to pay their respect."

"Including Ryuukotsusei?" Kagome asked, glancing at Sesshoumaru and then Nami.

"Unfortunately," Nami said, glancing upwards as the door slid open, and Aine bowed as she slipped into the room. Nami arched a brow and Aine presented her with a scroll before quietly leaving the room. Unrolling the missive, she quickly scanned the contents and frowned a little. "But that doesn't matter right now."

Kagome glowered, folding her arms. "I'm going to have to sit through more tense tea ceremonies where people are plotting to kill me, aren't I?"

Sesshoumaru's hand came to rest on her knee, possibly to stop her from launching herself across the table at his mother. Kagome calmed down a little and laid her hand atop Sesshoumaru's. "Why doesn't it matter right now?"

"Because you aren't the only couple in the makai who have recently announced their mating," Nami said, tapping a finger against the missive curled up on the table before her. "Ryuuka of the Northern clan has announced her mating to Raijin, a nomad from the Eastern Provinces."

"From the North?"

Sesshoumaru inclined his head towards Kagome. "She is Ryuukotsusei's cousin."

"So it's a trap," Kagome proclaimed.

"Ryuukotsusei seeks the home advantage," Bankotsu acknowledged.

"And your presence was specifically requested," Nami said, with a little smirk. "Looks like Ryuu-chan regained his backbone."

"I don't suppose there's an opt-out clause?" Kagome asked, running a hand through her hair, "We already have enough on our plate without getting into it with Ryuukotsusei again."

"But, if Naraku has offered his help to Ryuukotsusei already, then you'll be killing two birds with one stone," Kagura spoke up.

Kagome sighed, dropping her head back so that she was looking at the ceiling. She sighed again and faced Sesshoumaru, a wan smile on her face. "Do you remember when our life was simple?"

He arched a brow at her statement. She chuckled.

"Yeah, me neither."

* * *

Kgome glanced down at the wooden sword in her hand and then back at Sesshoumaru, who was swinging his own bokuto like it was an extension of his own arm. No wonder Bankotsu had wished her luck when Sesshoumaru had dragged her into the practise rooms.

"I'm beginning to think that this might be a bad idea," Kagome commented, biting her lips as she watched Sesshoumaru play with his new toy. She was wearing a pair of his hakama, rolled up so that they didn't dwarf her petite frame and a haori similarly altered for her body. Her bare toes curled against the tatami matting.

"You need to learn to use your tanto," Sesshoumaru informed her casually, "Ryuukotsusei knows that you have a tanto and so there will be no element of surprise on our side if you are forced to use it again."

"But I have my new bow," Kagome pointed out, "and I'm a super-miko now, remember?"

"Super-miko?" he arched a brow at her.

"Shut up," she muttered.

"In the event that you are separated from your bow," Sesshoumaru continued, "I would feel more comfortable if you could wield your tanto with a certain level of skill."

Kagome smiled softly. "It's cute that you're worried about me."

The tips of his pointed ears turned red and he turned away. She watched as he rolled his shoulders back and then pivoted on his heel, a slow dangerous smirk stretching across his face.

"Be ready miko," he purred dangerously.

Startled at his sudden change in demeanour, Kagome took a step back. "Sesshoumaru?"

"You shouldn't retreat yet, Kagome, the fight has yet to begin," he whispered, eyes alight with something that made Kagome shiver. This side of Sesshoumaru sent a naughty thrill racing down her spine.

She blinked and Sesshoumaru had vanished from his previous spot in front of her. "Oh crap," she muttered.

He breathed into her ear, "Sword up, Kagome."

With a little moue of distress, she brought her sword up and spun towards his voice, unsurprised to find him gone once again. "Using demon speed isn't fair," she complained.

"Then face me, Kagome."

Kagome spun around once more and faced Sesshoumaru, just in time to block his attack with her own bokuto. With a shout, she was thrown a few steps backwards. She stared at him, shocked, "Coming on a bit strong, don't you think?" she panted, rolling her shoulders.

Sesshoumaru arched a brow. "Do you imagine Ryuukotsusei will be gentle?"

Frowning, she straightened her spine. "Good point."

"Correct your stance," Sesshoumaru ordered, "mimic me."

Kagome did as instructed and Sesshoumaru smirked.

"Relax, Kagome."

"You expect me to relax? You're swinging a sword at me!"

"A wooden sword," he corrected.

"Semantics!" she barked.

"Again," Sesshoumaru said.

Kagome blocked the strike and Sesshoumaru smiled down at her as he applied more pressure. "Now, you attack."

Kagome grinned up at him. "Now you're talking." She gave a quick shove against his sword and then struck out, grumbling when Sesshoumaru intercepted her counter strike with his weapon.

"Well done," Sesshoumaru praised. "Again."

Two hours later, Kagome was panting, aching and dripping sweat. Dark tendrils of her hair clung to her forehead and neck where they'd escaped her functional ponytail, and her arms shook from overexertion when she tried to hold up her bokuto. Sesshoumaru still looked as elegant and unperturbed as ever, his smug smile only fuelling her anger and frustration.

"You are doing very well," he complimented as they circled each other.

"You're making it very easy to want to kick your ass," she praised sardonically.

He gave a throaty chuckle. "You are magnificent when you're angry."

"Stop trying to butter me up, buddy," she warned, "I'm really not in the mood."

"Shall we call it a day?" Sesshoumaru asked, tilting his head to one side.

Kagome let out a very impressive growl. "Not until I drop you onto your perfect butt," she said.

Sesshoumaru continued to smirk. "Then we may be here for some time."

"Oh yeah?"

Kagome lunged forwards and Sesshoumaru blocked her attack, their swords meeting with a clank. Kagome pushed his sword away and once again lunged forwards but this time Sesshoumaru was the one blindsided as her haori hit him in the face. Blinded, he could only feel her sweep his feet out from under him and he grinned.

As he fell, he dropped his sword and grabbed hold of Kagome, pulling her down on top of him. Kagome laughed as she found herself straddling Sesshoumaru who was flat on his back on the mat. She pushed the haori off of his face and beamed down at him. "I win."

"So it would seem," Sesshoumaru purred, quite content to lay back and let her straddle him, her bare breasts exposed to his hungry gaze. It was the best distraction he'd ever been subjected to.

"My eyes are up here, mister," Kagome mock scolded.

"I'm simply admiring your innovative distraction technique," he murmured, taking hold of her ponytail and drawing her closer. Kagome laughingly obliged, leaning down until their lips met in an angry passionate kiss. Sesshoumaru was a little surprised to find Kagome dominating the kiss, but also pleased that he'd brought this out in her. He stroked his hand down her bare back and she pulled back from the kiss with a grin.

"Bath time?" she suggested.

"Perfect."

* * *

Nami glanced out into the gardens, watching as her son escaped back to his own shiro, a giggling miko slung over his shoulder. She smirked softly and turned back to the scroll laid out on her table.

Ryuukotsusei had specifically requested her presence in the missive and she couldn't help but admire his tenacity. It wasn't every day that she severed someone's tendons and they remained besotted with her. It also wasn't everyday that she severed someone's tendons and they lived to talk about it.

She sighed heavily; this entire predicament had the potential to be either completely entertaining or very messy. If Ryuukotsusei persisted in attempting to kill her son she was going to have to deal with him... or at least repay him for taking her pup's arm.

She sighed again. "So troublesome."

Aine paused, the brush in her hands stilling as her lady spoke. "M'lady?"

"Nothing, Aine, keep brushing," Nami commanded, relaxing a little as her handmaid continued her brushing.

Aine hummed a little. "Surely, m'lady, if you are so troubled... you could simply devour the problem."

Nami laughed a little. "Sometimes my facade of opulent relaxation does make me forget my true form."

"I doubt that you could ever forget you have fangs, m'lady," Aine murmured.

Nami's smile widened dangerously. "They'd have to be very foolish to forget that."

* * *

A/N: In case you don't remember Hojo and Aiko, I'll refer you to _Chapter 9: Sleeping Beauty_. Things are getting tense, aren't they? I hope you enjoyed this chapter enough to leave a review!


	37. History Lesson

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Moving her hands through the steaming waters of the hot spring, Kagome briefly ducked her head underwater to get her hair wet before surfacing, flipping her wet hair over her shoulder. "Have I ever told you that I love having my own personal _onsen_?"

Sesshoumaru dunked his head under water, whipping his hair in an arc and splashing at the giggling miko. "I think you'll find that this is my _onsen_," he purred.

Kagome winked at him, still holding out a hand to defend herself from his splashing. "I think you'll find that I just let you share it sometimes."

Sesshoumaru snorted, taking the shampoo from the shelf and lathering it through Kagome's hair. She purred, leaning her head back and smiling serenely. "How gracious of you," he said.

Kagome gave a throaty laugh. "It's good that you appreciate my generosity." She groaned a little as his claws continued to gently rub against her skull. "You're very good at this."

Sesshoumaru kissed her bare shoulder. "Rinse," he commanded.

Kagome dunked her head under the water again to get rid of the suds. When she emerged, she turned to Sesshoumaru happily. "Your turn."

Slowly, Sesshoumaru turned his back on the miko, smiling a little as her fingers instantly threaded their way through his hair. A low purr rumbled through him as her nimble fingers found the tips of his ears and rubbed them. It appeased him to have his mate so attentive to his care; this was something he'd dreamed of as a whelp. He'd always wanted someone to call his own.

Eventually, Kagome finished playing with his ears and stared to shampoo his hair. "I love your hair," she mumbled as she continued to lather. "Can I braid it for you later?"

Sesshoumaru nodded lazily, enjoying the feeling of her fingers scratching his scalp. "You might not last that long though," he pointed out.

"Huh? Why not?"

"My hair emits a scent which acts as a sedative," Sesshoumaru explained, belatedly realising he'd never actually told her that.

"Is that why I keep falling asleep when I play with it?"

"Hnn..."

"Well, no more insomnia for me, I guess." Kagome chuckled quietly, "Aren't you handy?"

Sesshoumaru ducked into the water, rinsing the soap from his hair and turned to his mate, a small predatory smile curling at one corner of his mouth. "Indeed," he purred.

"That's why I keep you around, you know."

And Sesshoumaru smothered her wicked giggle with a kiss.

* * *

Ryuukotsusei stared unseeingly at the missive, a small smile playing at his lips. Nami's penmanship was bold and caustic, just like the woman herself. In reply to his invitation she'd simply scrawled; 'We'll be there... and I'll be watching you.'

The door slid open and a giant of a man stepped into the room. Dressed in armour and fighting leathers, he looked severely out of place in the opulent room but he calmly folded his battle honed body into a respectable seiza and stared at Ryuukotsusei through one lilac eye, the other eye almost completely obscured by his shock of white hair. "You wanted to see me, Ryuukotsusei?"

The dragon winced as that slow rough voice grated against his nerves. There was still something offensive about hearing this low born warrior uttering his name without an honorific. "Raijin," he greeted condescendingly, "I trust your accommodations are up to standard."

Raijin frowned, the white scar through his left eyebrow thrown into vivid relief with the movement. "I am used to making my bed under the stars," he answered, well aware that Ryuukotsusei had been making a boast about his wealth, as dragons were known to do. "These walls are splendid, but I miss the night sky."

Ryuukotsusei could not stop his lip from curling at the slight but, before he could retort, the door slid open once more to reveal his cousin. Dressed in grey silk, her long jade hair in a braid over her shoulder and her light silver eyes blazing with anger, she set Ryuukotsusei in her sights and snarled, "What exactly are you doing with my mate, dear cousin?"

Ryuukotsusei smirked at the anger he could see radiating from Ryuuka. She'd always been a hothead and mating hadn't improved her temperament in the slightest.

"We were conversing, Ryuuka-chan, nothing more," Ryuukotsusei attempted to placate her.

"A likely story," Ryuuka muttered, taking Raijin's hand and attempting to pull him to his feet. It was a comical sight, watching Ryuuka tilt over backwards in an attempt to move her mountain of a mate. He slowly stood under his own steam and sketched a bow to Ryuukotsusei before leaving. Ryuuka followed after, pausing in the doorway to glare at her cousin. "And you better have invited Raijin's family or I will burn you," she snapped, a tendril of smoke escaping from one nostril.

Ryuukotsusei sat back and arched an eyebrow at her, and she slammed the door on him. It would hardly do to tell the stubborn chit what he thought of her mate. He sneered a little at the thought of his clan's good name being besmirched by the ridiculous match. Ryuuka could never do anything quietly; if she'd had to mate a nomad, surely she could have at least chosen a dragon? Their children were certain to be freaks and those freaks would eventually rule his lands. He shuddered at the thought.

He turned to stare longingly out of his window; his shiro perched upon the tallest mountain in the North, so he could literally rule from on high, as it were. Soon Nami would be in his lair, and once a maiden entered a dragon's lair there wasn't a hope of escape.

Unfortunately for Ryuukotsusei, he'd forgotten that Nami was no mere maiden.

* * *

Kagome sailed out of the dojo, breaking the shoji screens as she landed in the garden. Her momentum carried her clear across the grass for four whole rotations, before she stopped herself. Panting, she flipped her ponytail back and glowered up at Bankotsu, who stood with his arms crossed across his broad chest.

"Are you trying to kill me?" she screeched at the smug looking demon.

Bankotsu flicked his braid at her haughtily. "Sesshoumaru-sama is your mate and thus curbed his strength; I have no such restraints."

Kagome dropped her head onto the grass, still panting. Sparring with Bankotsu was utterly exhausting; he'd been steadily increasing the speed and strength behind his attacks all through their sparring session and the last hit had been too much for her to take.

"You didn't answer the question!" she exclaimed, pushing up onto her hands and knees and then sitting back on her heels.

Bankotsu smirked. "Should we call it a day?" he asked.

Kagome laughed. "Considering that I can't feel my legs, I think so."

Bankotsu frowned a little, starting forwards. "Do you need help?"

"Nah," Kagome waved him off in a shooing motion, "I'm just gonna sit and bask in the sunshine for a while. Go ahead and get cleaned up."

With a chuckle, Bankotsu strutted off and Kagome slumped onto her back in the grass, staring up at the cloudless blue sky. Idly, she wondered if there was ever bad weather in the makai; she bet if there was it would only ever happen elsewhere, Nami seemed to enjoy sunshine too much to tolerate anything less from the weather.

"You okay?" a gruff voice queried, cutting into her musing.

Pushing herself up onto her elbows, Kagome smiled as she noticed the guard, Inuyasha, standing at the corner of the shiro, his straw hat pulled down low over his face to shield him from the sun.

"Just a little tired," she said, "seems like it's one battle after another these days."

"Heard you're goin' to the Mating Ceremony in the North," he said.

"Yep," Kagome chuckled a little humourlessly, "hopefully I'll come back with my head still attached to my shoulders."

Inuyasha snorted a little. "Dragons are tricky," he agreed, "Remember not to show them your belly and you should be fine."

"Thanks for the advice," Kagome chuckled, patting the grass beside her. "Care to join me?"

Inuyasha shook his head, glancing off calculatingly, "Nah, I've got to get back to my patrol. See you around, Kagome-san."

Clambering to her feet, Kagome missed Inuyasha's exit and instead looked up to find Sesshoumaru looming over her.

"Can I help you?" she asked as he sniffed around her in a circle, a perplexed expression on his face.

"Something smells... familiar," he commented, "Was someone just here?"

"Um... there was a soldier," Kagome offered, watching bemusedly as Sesshoumaru continued to sniff. She'd never seen him act more like the dog she supposed he was.

"Hnn..." Sesshoumaru muttered, straightening and reassuming his usual placid expression. "I suppose that must be it." He glanced down at her. "How was your sparring session?"

"Interesting," Kagome answered glibly, "I think I know what a ragdoll feels like."

Sesshoumaru glanced in the direction of her gaze, eyebrows reaching his hairline as he glimpsed the Kagome-shaped hole in the shoji screen. "You are unharmed?" he asked, stroking his hand down her arm.

"Yeah," Kagome shrugged, "I think I hurt the screen more than it hurt me."

"Speaking of things that hurt," Sesshoumaru muttered, "mother wants to see us."

"Whoopee."

* * *

Kagura's back slammed into the wall and she futilely gripped at the beefy hand wrapped around her throat. She'd never liked Nami's chef and the feeling had always been mutual, but it seemed that her sudden powerlessness had made him bold.

Casually he lifted her by her throat and she frantically tried to regain her footing. Her fingers attempted to dig into his meaty paw as she tried to prise him off of her, but her human-like strength was no match for the boar yokai's uninhibited might.

"Not so high and mighty now, are you, Traitor-chan?" he breathed and Kagura attempted to turn her head away from his foul breath.

She kicked at him desperately, but her strength was nothing compared to him. She was really regretting leaving her room; next time she was hungry she'd just deal with it. If there was going to be a next time.

"Drop her," Bankotsu growled, entering the kitchen still wearing his training clothes from his sparring session with Kagome.

The chef glowered at Bankotsu. "I don't think I have to listen to a single thing you say, assassin."

"I am Nami-sama's right hand," Bankotsu said, proudly, "to oppose me is to oppose Nami-sama."

The chef snorted at Bankotsu's boast, his hand tightening around Kagura's throat. But he only disobeyed the assassin for a moment before he regretted it; moving too fast for Kagura's eyes to follow Bankotsu ripped the chef's arm from around Kagura's throat and threw him away. Kagura slumped to the floor, holding onto her throat and coughing desperately.

The chef crumpled onto the floor and Bankotsu loomed over him. "For disrespecting Nami-sama's wishes, your life is forfeit."

Using a rag to wipe his hands clean of blood, Bankotsu turned back to Kagura and knelt at her side, placing a consoling hand on her shoulder. She shook slightly under his hand and he frowned; it was bewildering to see the outspoken wind witch cowed like this.

Kagura smacked his hand away and turned away from him. "Don't," she muttered, her voice rough, "I don't want your help."

Bankotsu stood and sighed. "Well I guess you'll have to put up with it for now."

Kagura clenched her hands into fists and glowered up at him. "Why wouldn't you just let him kill me? You hate me just as much as he did."

Bankotsu rolled his eyes. "I don't hate you, Kagura," he said resignedly, "I don't understand why you didn't just tell someone about your sister, but I don't hate you."

Kagura laughed a little grimly. "Sometimes I hate myself for my weakness," she muttered.

Bankotsu sighed and ducked down, picking her up effortlessly. "Sometimes, you need to ask for help," he cajoled, striding over the chef's body and out of the kitchen.

Kagura thought about protesting the move, but reluctantly relaxed into Bankotsu's hold; she really wasn't sure that her shaky legs would let her get back to the room. "Thank you, Bankotsu-san," she whispered, staring determinedly forwards.

Recognising that it couldn't be easy for the obstinate woman to thank him, Bankotsu said nothing but he couldn't help the smile that crept over his face.

* * *

Kagome stared down at the four different tea cups that Nami had distributed on opposite corners of the table. The demoness had argued that visual aids were important and she tapped the manila coloured cup demonstratively with one finger.

"This is the Western Lands," Nami explained, "We are a large mostly wooded expanse of territory, inhabited mainly by canine Yokai such as Inu and Kitsune and Feline yokai such as Panthers."

At that, Sesshoumaru snarled very slightly and Kagome darted an amused glance at him. "Does the doggy not like the mean cats?" she teased.

Nami let out a chuckle. "Sesshoumaru has never much liked the panther tribes."

"Cats are...irritating," Sesshoumaru acknowledged.

"Are you sure that this isn't just a cat-dog thing?"

Sesshoumaru treated her to a mildly reproving glance which just wrung a giggle from the highly entertained miko.

"Anyway," Nami said, interrupting Kagome's chuckling, "You've already met our leaders and we don't have a particularly large ruling family considering that Inu are normally packs formed from family units." Nami tapped an egg shell blue cup. "This is the Southern Lands."

Kagome looked down at the tea cup and arched an eyebrow. "Sure looks like a cup to me."

"Don't be cheeky, daughter mine," Nami chastised, settling into lecturing mode, "The Southern lands are mostly boggy lands, inhabited by aquatic demons." She glanced at her son. "I believe that's where you met your Kappa servant, Jaken, correct?"

Sesshoumaru sighed heavily. "Regretfully."

Nami shook her head and continued. "The South is ruled at the moment by a Kelpie," she explained, "An Aquatic Demonic Horse," she explained in the face of Kagome's confusion, "I believe his name is... Bastion?"

Sesshoumaru inclined his head. "He is annoying."

"Which means he's actually a perfectly friendly person," Nami explained, "because we all know Sesshoumaru can't stand pleasant people."

With difficulty, Kagome swallowed down the laugh that attempted to bubble over and escape her lips.

Nami tapped a dark green cup. "This is the Northern Lands," she continued, "or the Dragon Lands, a mostly mountainous region inhabited by flying creatures such as dragons, moth demons and bird demons and a few others. The ruling family of the North has always been dragons and there are hundreds of them milling about because dragons scarcely take mates and instead breed with each other constantly."

"Like rabbits?" Kagome suggested sweetly.

"Quite," Nami agreed, inclining her head, "Now, dragons are notoriously territorial over their gold, so if you ever find I dragon's nest I advise slowly and quietly leaving without touching anything."

Sesshoumaru snorted at his mother's advice. "Dragons are a foolish breed."

"Isn't Ryuuka a dragon?" Kagome asked, "It must be unusual for her to mate someone."

"It is," Nami agreed, nodding sagely, "especially given her choice of mates. Dragons are notoriously snobby and they tend to mate only other dragons."

"And you aren't snobby?"Kagome asked, grinning.

"I may think highly of myself," Nami purred, "but I am not against the intermingling of breeds. My mother was a Doku Yokai and my father an Inu."

"That's where you get the poison claws?" Kagome asked, turning to Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru inclined his head and cracked his knuckles.

"As I was saying, dragons tend to only breed with dragons; it's rare for them to take a mate outside of their breed. But Ryuuka's chosen mate is not just a lightning demon, he's also a nomad from the East." Nami clapped her hands together, "Such fun."

"Huh?"

Nami tapped the violet tea cup. "The East has no one ruler. It is mostly a flat land filled with nomadic demons. It is the largest province in the makai, and is home to the largest number of our residents. There have been a few attempts, since the establishment of the Makai, by the South and the North, to encroach upon the eastern territories, but, though they are united by no one leader, they are a land filled with warriors. Small armies are no match for the Eastern might."

"Sounds like an interesting match; a warrior and a dragon." Kagome chuckled. "In stories, the warrior normally sets out to kill the dragon and save the princess."

"In this case the dragon and the princess are one and the same," Sesshoumaru said.

"I'm actually looking forwards to meeting them," Kagome confessed.

"When they were children, Ryuuka once set fire to Ryuukotsusei's robes," Nami reminisced fondly, "the poor boy was left stark naked and humiliated."

"He shouldn't have told her that she couldn't play with him because of her gender," Sesshoumaru remarked baldly.

Kagome hooted out a laugh. "I'm liking her more and more!" She frowned a little and said, "By the way, I've been meaning to ask, do all dragons have 'Ryuu' in their names? It seems a little silly."

"Blame it on unimaginative parents," Nami answered, "dragons are very traditional in naming their young."

"I think you mean boring," Kagome rolled her eyes and then glanced at Sesshoumaru speculatively. "Who named Sesshoumaru?" she asked sweetly.

Sesshoumaru huffed and rolled his eyes, earning himself an affectionate hand press from his mother. "You can blame that one on his father; he was the General of the West, you see, and required that his son have a name that would strike terror into the hearts of his enemies." Nami snorted a little, "But it was very strange to yell it at a determined toddler who streaked through my shiro refusing to put clothes on."

That particular mental image, accompanied by the flush that painted Sesshoumaru's cheekbones was too much for Kagome and she collapsed onto the table, shaking with uncontrollable giggles.

"Mother," Sesshoumaru snarled.

Nami snapped open her fan and wafted the human collapsed on her table. "Oh dear, did I break her?" she asked innocently.

He really didn't know why he still kept his mother's company; she never failed to completely humiliate him. Usually with gleeful abandon.

"Kagome," he growled, "mother has something else to give you."

"Oh!" Nami held up one finger, "that's right. I had a new junhitoe made for the occasion of the ceremony."

That cut off Kagome's laughter abruptly and she sat up wide eyed. "Wait, I have to wear another ridiculously heavy twelve layered kimono?"

"Of course!"

Kagome shot a glare at her mate, who returned the look coolly. "If I am in hell, so are you, little miko."

"How romantic," Kagome snarled.

* * *

A/N: Even demons get embarrassed by their mothers, and with a mother like Nami, Sesshoumaru's had more than his fair share of embarrassment. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please take time to review and tell me what you think!


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